|
May 16, 2023 (Minneapolis) On May 15th, at approximately 2:10 p.m., officers from the Minneapolis Police Department responded to ShotSpotter activation and 911 calls of approximately one dozen shots fired near the 2100 Block of Girard Ave N. Soon after, on the same block, individuals at the Minneapolis Public Schools Davis Center reported building damage from gunfire. Officers confirmed the damage and collected evidence. Based on video footage and information from individuals near the area of the shots-fired call, officers located one of two vehicles that were involved in the shots-fired incident. The juveniles operating a stolen Kia fled from officers near Lowry Ave N and Logan Ave N. Officers pursued the vehicle. When the pursuit traveled near an occupied school bus dropping off children, officers discontinued the pursuit out of concern for the safety of the school children.
Officers began to intermittently track the vehicle through cameras until officers in a squad made contact with the stolen Kia again near Lyndale and 25th Ave N. The pursuit was resumed. With the help of an MN State Trooper Helicopter, officers were able to follow the stolen Kia from a distance. At approximately 2:30 p.m. near 28th St E and Portland Ave S, the four occupants of the stolen Kia fled on foot. Chief O’Hara was near the location where the juveniles fled on foot. He responded to the scene and joined the pursuit, running after one of the juvenile suspects, and placed him under arrest. In total, 3 of the 4 juvenile males were arrested and booked into the Juvenile Detention Center for weapons-related charges. Two firearms were recovered from the stolen Kia.
“The reckless and violent behavior being undertaken by juveniles in stolen Kia and Hyundai vehicles is an emergency,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “These juveniles are a danger to themselves and to anyone who happens to be around them. For the past year, they have been allowed to continue to wreak havoc in our neighborhoods with no recourse and no consequences. We cannot continue to tolerate this behavior.”
Today’s pursuit and ultimate arrests were facilitated by a recent update to the pursuit policy that Chief O’Hara enacted on May 2nd allowing for the pursuit of vehicles in the instance of felony firearm discharges. This revision in the pursuit policy and the Chief’s actions today demonstrate his support of MPD officers and his understanding that we can no longer allow this behavior to go unanswered. The Chief will continue to take action and ensure that officers are equipped with every tool necessary to carry out their duties and protect our community.
####
5-16-2023 MR 23-123214 - Dangerous gunfire leads to a police pursuit that results in three juvenile arrests.pdf
Image 1.jpeg
Image 2.jpeg
|
