3 teens charged in Minneapolis crime spree that left one man shot in jaw, another in the back

Three teenagers were charged Wednesday with being among four people roaming south Minneapolis in stolen vehicles and carrying out a two-hour burst of crimes early one morning last week that left two victims shot and seriously wounded.

Two 17-year-olds, both from Minneapolis, were charged as juveniles in Hennepin County District Court. The younger of the two was charged with two counts of second-degree assault, aiding and abetting first-degree robbery and attempted first-degree attempted robbery in connection with the string of violence on Feb. 11.

The other 17-year-old was charged with aiding and abetting second-degree assault and third-degree burglary.

Quayzhon Demetrius Lewis, 19, of Minneapolis, is charged with two counts of second-degree assault, third-degree burglary and two counts of first-degree robbery. He remains jailed ahead of a court appearance Thursday.

The 17-year-olds appeared in court Wednesday afternoon. The Minnesota Star Tribune is not identifying the teenagers because prosecutors have not signaled their intent to certify them as adults. Court records do not list an attorney for any of them.

A fourth alleged accomplice, a 34-year-old man, was arrest and then released from jail late Wednesday afternoon without being charged as the investigation continues.

According to the charges, which were based largely on surveillance video, and related court filings:

The first incident occurred about 5 a.m. near the home of 54-year-old Boyd Hansen, who lives just north of Lake Hiawatha. A nearby Ring camera video showed the two 17-year-olds and Lewis arriving at the alley in a Toyota Camry.

One of the three armed suspects, all appearing to be holding pistols, approached a garage and kicked in the door, but nothing was stolen.

As Hansen peered out a second-floor window, Lewis alerted the others to someone looking at them. All three aimed their guns at him, with the youngest of the 17-year-olds firing and wounding Hansen before they drove off.

Roughly 15 minutes later, the Camry arrived at a Speedway gas station on 34th Avenue S., where the teen who shot Hansen exited and carjacked a man’s Mazda SUV at gunpoint. The victim also had his wallet stolen.

About 5:30 a.m., a 911 caller reported that the SUV had crashed into a light pole about a mile from the gas station. The vehicle was unoccupied by the time police got there.

Around 5:40 a.m., the Camry showed up near the Blue Line Flats apartments in the 2300 block of E. 32nd Street and stopped in front of a minivan. The same teen who wounded Hansen pointed his gun at the van. One person from the van started running, and he was shot in the back.

The shooter then struck the van’s driver with the gun, demanded wallets from three van occupants and fired shots into the vehicle.

Shortly before 6 a.m., the Camry arrived at the Red Lake Apartments in the 2100 block of Cedar Avenue S., where the older 17-year-old got out of the car and went inside.

Around 7:50 a.m., the Camry was spotted on video parked in the 2400 block of Bloomington Avenue S. The younger 17-year-old, who lives in that block, and Lewis got out of the car.

Police searched the home and arrested the shooter. He was wearing the same jeans as when he was arrested earlier for a different shooting incident.

The older 17-year-old and Lewis were arrested about the same time near the shooter’s home as they arrived in another vehicle.