Six juveniles arrested after armed robberies, crashes in south Minneapolis

Six juveniles were arrested Tuesday in connection with a series of armed robberies in south Minneapolis and two crashes on Interstate 94, police said.

The suspects, three boys ages 11, 12 and 13, and two 14-year-old girls and a 12-year-old girl, were treated at local hospital following a crash, and then booked into the Juvenile Detention Center, police said.

The 12-year-old boy has had multiple contacts with Minneapolis police, said Chief Brian O’Hara.

“The fact that I see this activity continuing with children so young — despite all our efforts — is incredibly frustrating and highlights the urgent need for action,” O’Hara said. “I am grateful for the immediate response of law enforcement in finding and arresting these juveniles before they could cause more harm to members than of our community or themselves.”

Events unfolded about 11:30 a.m. when police were alerted to a robbery at gunpoint in the 5100 block of 41st Avenue S. A second robbery at gunpoint occurred a few minutes later in the 3400 block of Bloomington Avenue S. The suspects allegedly fired shots at a victim from a vehicle in the second robbery. No one was hit, police said.

A third robbery occurred at about 1:30 p.m. near 24th Street and Pleasant Avenue S. The commonalities among the three incidents led Minneapolis Police to activate its Crime Pattern Response Protocol.

The State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office joined Minneapolis police in searching for the vehicles involved in the incidents. Law enforcement found one of the vehicles after getting several 911 calls about a car driving recklessly in the area.

Police stopped the car, but the driver fled. A police chase ended after the vehicle crashed on westbound I-94 near Cedar Avenue, police said.

Four suspects who fled the vehicle on foot were apprehended. Two suspects in another stolen vehicle nearby also were arrested after crashing, police said.

Three other vehicles not part of the crime spree were involved in the crashes, but nobody was hurt, police said.