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Boy accused of driving stolen car in Mpls park
A 10-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly driving a stolen car through a Minneapolis playground on Friday. FOX 9 reporter Leon Purvis has the full story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis police say a 10-year-old boy has been arrested after stealing a car and driving recklessly near a crowded school playground, nearly hitting children who were playing outside.
What we know
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said on Friday morning that the incident happened on Sept. 20 at the playground outside of Nellie Stone Johnson School in north Minneapolis.
Police say surveillance footage shows the boy driving the stolen vehicle back and forth on the grass behind the playground before moving onto the sidewalk, just feet away from the playground, with children playing and standing nearby. No children were struck by the 10-year-old driver, according to a press release.
Chief O’Hara said the boy was identified as the driver on Thursday and has been arrested and booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention on probable cause of second-degree assault.
Past crimes
This isn't the first time the 10-year-old boy has been accused of stealing a car. Police explained the boy had been arrested on at least two other occasions for crimes related to auto theft. Chief O’Hara added that the 10-year-old is listed as a suspect in more than a dozen other cases, including for auto theft, assault with a dangerous weapon and robbery.
The boy has a criminal history dating back to May 2023, with around 30 records—most of which are runaway incidents. O'Hara said the 10-year-old’s family is cooperating with law enforcement and has asked for help to "keep their son or anyone else from being injured or killed," according to a press release.
On Friday, charges in a different incident from August involving the boy were filed, Chief O'Hara said. In this case, the 10-year-old with other minors approached a victim with a knife in his hand, threatening her by saying "I will gut you" while trying to steal the victim's Kia.
The boy was charged in that case with threats of violence, and an attempt to commit auto theft, Chief O'Hara said.
Charges filed in juvenile court
In a press release on Friday, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office (HCAO) announced it has filed charges in the case but cannot provide further details due to the child's age.
However, the attorney's office noted that someone cannot be prosecuted if they are not capable of assisting their lawyers in their defense or cannot understand the legal proceedings. A court-appointed psychologist will decide whether someone is competent and submit their opinion to the judge, who makes the final decision. If a child is not found competent, the child is released from custody, and the case is either dismissed or suspended.
According to Chief O'Hara, the boy has been charged with reckless driving and receiving stolen property.
What they’re saying
Chief O'Hara expressed concern about the child's alleged repeated criminal activity and released a statement saying:
"It is unfathomable that a 10-year-old boy has had this level of criminal activity without effective intervention. Prison is not an acceptable option for a 10-year-old boy. But the adults who can stop this behavior going forward must act now. This is only one example of the revolving door we’re dealing with – arresting and re-arresting the same juveniles for auto-theft and other violent crimes. This is a complex issue, and we need every entity involved in intervention to come together immediately to establish short- and long-term solutions."
The HCAO released a statement saying in part:
"We are facing an urgent crisis in our community related to a small group of children who are not competent to stand trial in the juvenile justice system, but who cannot safely be at home. We are actively engaged with law enforcement, as well as county and state partners, about the critical need for safe and appropriate out-of-home placements for children with these complex needs who require specialized care. We cannot charge or prosecute our way out of this crisis.
"What we need is clear: residential placements with varying levels of security in our community that are resourced and staffed to be able to accept and successfully treat our youth with complex needs. And we need urgent and immediate action to address this issue now."
What we don't know
Police have not yet revealed details about when or how the car was stolen or how long the child was allegedly driving it.
FOX 9 reached out to the owner of the stolen vehicle, who said he doesn’t know how the 10-year-old got his car.
Additionally, further information on the boy’s other suspected crimes has not been released. The HCAO did not say exactly what the child had been charged with.