Armed teens arrested after Minneapolis carjacking spree

Minneapolis police arrested four teens, ages 15–17, Tuesday night after two back-to-back aggravated robberies and a carjacking that started on the 2600 block of Park Avenue and ended with a pursuit and crash in North Minneapolis. Around 5:45 p.m., the group allegedly assaulted a man as he left his car, attempted to steal the vehicle and instead robbed him of his wallet at gunpoint; minutes later, less than a block away, they allegedly carjacked a woman in her 60s and a man in his 50s from their parked vehicle on 27th Street East. Investigators say they tracked the stolen car via license-plate readers and located it near 36th Avenue North and Penn Avenue North around 9:30 p.m., but the teens fled, ultimately crashing into another occupied vehicle at Humboldt and Lowry avenues North. The 15-year-old driver allegedly fled on foot, discarded a gun and was arrested on aggravated robbery, felony fleeing and prohibited-person-with-a-gun counts, while three others — ages 15, 16 and 17 — were arrested at the scene for aggravated robbery, with the 16-year-old hospitalized from crash injuries. MPD Chief Brian O’Hara, noting all four already had arrest histories for auto theft, assault or robbery, said the case shows a small group of repeat juvenile offenders "remain on a path where they are a danger to themselves as well as the community," even as residents continue to question how effectively the system is handling these kids before they’re back on the street.