6 youths, 2 adults hurt after stolen car chase ends with crash in north Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS – Authorities say a pursuit of a stolen vehicle with six youths inside ended in north Minneapolis Monday when the driver hit another car, and both vehicles crashed into a bus shelter, hurting a pedestrian inside.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) says members of its violent offender task force -- including Minneapolis police and other agencies -- were "working on a joint operation" in north Minneapolis when they saw a silver KIA traveling erratically just before noon.
Law enforcement pursued the KIA after they discovered it had been tied to several armed robberies that morning.
The driver of the KIA fled officers and eventually crashed into a blue SUV near the intersection of Olson Memorial Highway and Penn Avenue North. Both vehicles then smashed into a Metro Transit bus shelter, injuring a man inside it and destroying the structure.
The sheriff's office says the stolen KIA's passengers – five boys and one girl – tried to flee on foot but were all arrested.
In total, eight people were hurt in the crash, and all are expected to survive. The six juveniles were taken to an area hospital, as well as the injured pedestrian. The woman who was driving the blue SUV was treated at the scene.
WCCO News looked into HCSO's policy about starting a chase. According to HCSO's manual, a chase can be initiated "when it is reasonable to believe that a suspect is attempting to evade arrest or detention."
Deputies do also have to "consider" 13 factors, including the seriousness of the suspected crime, how busy the area is, and time of day.
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The manual says, "the immediate apprehension of a suspect is generally not more important than the safety of the public."
A sheriff's office spokesperson confirmed that choosing to start Monday's chase was consistent with department policy.
The Minneapolis Police Department loosened its chase policy last month, adding felony firearm discharges to the crimes for which it is acceptable to go after someone.
The change allowed for a recent chase that ended with Chief Brian O'Hara running down and arresting a young suspect wanted on gun charges.