A driver crashed through the dining room of a north Minneapolis bar and restaurant Saturday morning with an SUV recently stolen at gunpoint, police said.
Officers responded to the 2700 block of Lowry Avenue N. around 4:15 a.m. on a report of an abandoned vehicle. An SUV had struck a light post and careened into the front entrance of Tooties on Lowry, a neighborhood staple. The suspect fled the scene before authorities arrived.
A 24-year-old Minneapolis man told police that the vehicle had been stolen from him during a robbery at gunpoint just before the crash. The victim lives less than one mile from Tooties.
Tooties' owners, Lili and Nick Johnson, wrote on social media that this was the second time in seven years someone has rammed a vehicle through their business. The couple posted photos of the damage on the restaurant's Facebook page, along with a message to customers.
"Lots of damage, and don't know when we will be able to reopen. Soon, we hope!!! Thanks for all your concerns and offers of help," they wrote.
Photos show overturned chairs and shards of glass all over the floor from demolished window panes. The storefront has since been boarded shut.
The vehicle has been impounded and police are investigating. No one is in custody.
Liz Sawyer
