Girl, 17, charged in connection with 90-minute armed robbery spree in south Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — A 17-year-old girl is charged in connection with a string of violent robberies early Monday morning in south Minneapolis, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
Minneapolis police announced Tuesday that there were eight robberies in a span of about 90 minutes on the city's south side, between 12:14 a.m. and 1:43 a.m.
None of the victims were seriously hurt, but some were robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint. Some victims lost cars, purses, and wallets.
Police Accounts Of The 8 Robberies
1. 2400 block of 13th Avenue South, 12:14 a.m.: A woman told police she parked her vehicle, got out, and then a vehicle pulled up beside her. A group then robbed and carjacked her at gunpoint. The victim wasn't hurt.
2. 2400 block of 11th Avenue South, 12:15 a.m.: A woman told police she was sitting in her parked car when a vehicle pulled up beside her. A male and a female got out, smashed one of her windows, and then stole her phone and purse at gunpoint. The victim wasn't hurt.
3. 1700 block of Stevens Avenue South, 12:23 a.m.: A woman out walking her dog told police she saw several people fighting in a parking lot, and some of them soon approached her, punched her in the face and stole her car keys and phone. The group got into her vehicle and drove off, dragging the victim for a moment in the process. The victim declined medical treatment. Police say the victim and her mother returned to the area just after 1 a.m. to try and find her dog, who ran away during the robbery. They saw some of the suspects and approached them. The victim's mother then fired several gunshots into the air, causing the group to run off.
4. Garfield Avenue South at West 25th Street, 12:57 a.m.: A man told police he was stopped in his vehicle at the intersection when "three unknown males wearing masks" smashed his driver-side window. One of the suspects held out a knife and demanded he get out. They then stole his vehicle, wallet and phone. The victim wasn't injured.
5. 2600 Block of Garfield Avenue South, 1:19 a.m.: A woman and a man told police they were out walking when a vehicle traveling the wrong way down the one-way street stopped, and several masked people got out and demanded their valuables. The woman refused, and the group began to physically attack the couple. The victims, who were able to escape into a nearby residence, say the group stole the woman's purse and fired several gunshots as they ran away. Police weren't able to find shell casings in the area. Both victims were taken to HCMC for treatment.
6. 3000 Block of Clinton Avenue South, 1:31 a.m.: A man told police that a male and a female approached him with a gun while he was entering his residence, and robbed him of his wallet and phone before fleeing. The victim wasn't hurt.
7. 2600 block of Park Avenue, 1:33 a.m.: A woman told police as she was getting into her vehicle, a group approached her. One of the members started hitting her window, while another armed with a handgun demanded her phone and purse. The group then tried to carjack her, but a nearby resident armed with a baseball bat came out to defend her, and the group fled. The victim wasn't hurt.
8. 1100 Block of Lake Street West, 1:43 a.m.: A woman told police a vehicle pulled up alongside her as she was walking down the street. Two males got out and robbed her of her purse at gunpoint. The victim wasn't hurt.
Criminal Complaint Details
Police found the vehicle stolen in the eighth robbery abandoned on the 3100 block of Park Avenue. Officers at the scene were told that one of the suspects was seen getting into another vehicle. They were able to spot it and pull over the driver.
Inside was the 17-year-old defendant, as well as a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man. Officers found a knife inside the vehicle, and a cellphone that matched the description of the one stolen in the second robbery. An officer called the victim's cellphone number, and the one inside the vehicle rang. The victim later identified the 17-year-old girl as the female who robbed her.
Police let the 19-year-old man go at the scene, and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office says there was not enough evidence to charge the 17-year-old boy.
The 17-year-old girl is charged with first-degree aiding and abetting aggravated robbery, which is a felony.
WCCO does not typically name suspects who are under 18 years old, except in some cases when they are being tried as adults.
