Six juveniles have been arrested following a violent carjacking and pursuit on Friday in northeast Minneapolis.
At around 4:30 p.m., a group of juveniles jumped out of a car, tackled a 62-year-old woman to the ground, stole her car keys and drove away in her vehicle, according to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD).
About three hours later, Minneapolis police, along with the help of some of the juveniles’ parents, found the carjacked vehicle near Plymouth Avenue North and Logan Avenue North. Officers attempted to make a traffic stop but the car drove away.
State Patrol initiated a pursuit from the air and tracked the stolen car while police followed. Authorities say the car stopped near 8th Avenue North and Queen Avenue North, where six juveniles got out of the vehicle and hid in a garage.
Law enforcement established a perimeter and called the suspects out of the building. The six people — five boys and one girl, ranging in age from 11-15 — were taken into custody and booked into the Juvenile Detention Center.
All six juveniles involved in the carjacking have active investigations with MPD and one of them, a 15-year-old boy, was wanted for attempted murder.
The MPD Curfew Task Force and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrests and booking process.
“This was great collaborative work that interrupted the recurring criminal behavior of a group of juveniles,” said MPD Chief O’Hara. “I am thankful for recent investments in facilities designed to address youth behavior issues. However, the gap that allows juveniles to cycle in and out of the system remains. We need increased urgency among all leaders in our community and in government to address this issue. The current system is failing, putting our youth, their victims, and even our officers at risk.”
