Six Minneapolis juveniles arrested after armed robbery spree — and other top public safety news

The following public safety news made headlines this past week. I offer this summary and insight:

Minneapolis juveniles arrested after armed robbery spree.

Six Minneapolis juveniles aged between 11-14 years old were arrested Tuesday after a series of three armed robberies over a two-hour period in south Minneapolis. Multiple agencies converged and located a suspect vehicle and attempted a stop, but the juveniles fled before crashing on I-94. A second suspect vehicle crashed nearby but was not being followed at the time. It is believed that both vehicles were stolen, and at least three other vehicles were damaged by the suspects before their arrest. According to police, a 12-year-old suspect in the group has an extensive history of crime, while the others do not. All six suspects were booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center while the investigation determines the level of involvement and charges appropriate for each. 

The incident highlights the serious levels of crime being committed by young juveniles, and the obvious need for more detention options to remove these juveniles from society while they receive intensive and prolonged correctional treatment. The alternative is to continue teaching these juveniles that there are no consequences to their actions. That will end poorly for each of them and for society as a whole. 

10-year-old arrested while driving a stolen car through a Minneapolis playground. 

Minneapolis Police announced the arrest of a 10-year-old Minneapolis boy who was driving a stolen auto and driving through a north Minneapolis park on September 20. Surveillance video shows the boy making three passes by a playground full of young children and some panicked adults. 

Minneapolis Police report that the 10-year-old has had over 30 contacts with police in just over a year, some of which include robbery, assault with a weapon, and auto thefts when the boy was just 9. In one assault he threatened the adult victim with a knife saying he would “gut” the victim. 

I confirmed with Minneapolis Police that they had referred the boy to the Hennepin County Attorney’s auto theft diversion program in 2023. According to news reports, the boy’s family is cooperating with authorities, and is apparently unable to control the boy.

This case reiterates the need for more detention options to remove from society the growing number of juveniles creating significant public safety risks, and who refuse to take part in non-custodial efforts.

Burglary wave involving international ring believed to be targeting high-end Twin Cities homes.

Police have reported a series of some 60 burglaries of high-end homes in the Twin Cities suburbs in the past year. The suspects appear to involve well-organized groups from South American countries who fly into the U.S., rent cars, and go on burglary sprees for days before returning to their home countries. Information suggests these groups have used surveillance drones to gather pre-burglary intelligence and help them target unoccupied homes and areas of easy access.

This case highlights the difficulty in stopping an organized group of burglars, absent catching them in the act. One improvement that can be made is to ensure alarm systems that are in place, make direct contact with police dispatch rather than to an alarm company dispatcher. The delay in getting actual police officers in response can make all the difference in intercepting and preventing these burglaries.

Attempted police ambush thwarted by a jammed gun.

Media reports surfaced this week describing an event from late August in Redwood Falls, where a 27-year-old Edina man attempted to lure police into an ambush, via a fake suicide call. The man has now been charged with attempted 1st-degree murder and assault. Evidence suggests that the rifle he carried at the time of his arrest had jammed due to his attempt to chamber a round in a manner designed not to make noise. 

The case highlights the constant vigilance our officers need to maintain and the understanding the public must show to officers carrying out their duties. The case demonstrates the heightened dangers facing our law enforcement officers who have been subject to a 165% increase in assaults since 2019.

National Park Service Park Ranger dies in the line of duty

This week a 55-year-old veteran National Park Ranger, Kevin Grossheim, tragically drowned after his boat capsized in high winds and rough waters during a rescue of a family who had become stranded on Namagan Lake in Voyageurs National Park. The incident is a reminder of the dangers facing our law enforcement officers, not only in enforcement situations, but in the variety of public safety situations they become involved with.

US Attorney Lugar’s office scores another win against violent crime in the twin cities.

This week three Bloods gang members were convicted of racketeering and weapons charges related to two murders in Minneapolis. The three represent some of the 17 gang convictions U.S. Attorney Andrew Lugar’s office has secured as part of a concerted effort to aggressively pursue violent criminals in Minnesota. 63 additional defendants await trial as part of the effort. This kind of effort, on a federal level, including the use of RICO charges designed to dismantle criminal organizations, sends a chilling message to the criminal community. The effort contrasts sharply with the efforts of some local prosecutors who have focused on reducing consequences and re-examining decades-old convictions.

Following the convictions, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara made this statement: “I’m hopeful that this conviction here today sends a message to those families, to those victims, to the residents in our community that have been dealing with unacceptable levels of chronic violence that we will be here to hold those accountable who are causing the most harm in our community.”