Police arrest group of juveniles, ages 11 to 15, who allegedly carjacked woman in northeast Minneapolis

Police arrested six juveniles who allegedly carjacked a 62-year-old woman in northeast Minneapolis on Friday afternoon and led police on a car chase.

The arrests came three hours after five boys and one girl allegedly tackled the woman, stole her keys and fled in her vehicle, Minneapolis Police Department Chief Brian O’Hara said in a Saturday news release.

All minors involved were between the ages of 11 and 15, according to the release.

Officers located the stolen vehicle near Plymouth Avenue N. and Logan Avenue N. using information that some of the minors’ parents provided. Police trailed the car after the driver fled during an attempted traffic stop, while the State Patrol pursued the vehicle from the air.

Near 8th Avenue N. and Queen Avenue N., the group got out and hid in a nearby garage. Police called them out of hiding before booking them into the Juvenile Detention Center with the help of the department’s Curfew Task Force.

All six juveniles have active investigations pending with the department, including a 15-year-old boy wanted for attempted murder, the news release states.

“This was great collaborative work that interrupted the recurring criminal behavior of a group of juveniles,” O’Hara said in the release. “I am thankful for recent investments in facilities designed to address youth behavior issues.

“However, the gap that allows juveniles to cycle in and out of the system remains. We need increased urgency among all leaders in our community and in government to address this issue. The current system is failing, putting our youth, their victims, and even our officers at risk.”

Minneapolis saw roughly 250 carjackings between January and December 2024, including an incident in which five people ambushed a motorist in an alley, shot him in the chest and drove off with his car.