Minneapolis Police are providing new details about two related robbery sprees from early this week in Southeast Minneapolis.
Police Chief Brian O'Hara says a series of violent armed robberies spurred an investigation, with five taking place early Sunday morning and a reported eight on Monday Night.
"Suspects operated in groups, often believed to be three to five individuals, using stolen vehicles to target victims in public spaces," O'Hara explained Tuesday. "Several victims were physically assaulted."
Chief O'Hara says there is reason to believe that the suspects are juveniles that are known to police, and that anyone with information is being asked to contact the Minneapolis Police Department.
"The one guy had my roommate's boyfriend at gunpoint and then the other person picked her up and like slammed her on the ground and she hit her head and her hip on the cement," a woman told WCCO-TV about one of the assaults.
There are no reported arrests so far.
"These patterns are deeply concerning," notes Chief O'Hara. "They create fear in our neighborhoods and are completely unacceptable. We are treating these cases with urgency and commitment across the department. Leads are being actively pursued."
With juveniles allegedly involved, O'Hara again took a moment to say that the issues run deeper than just policing in the city.
"I want to be clear, these are very dangerous crimes, and while we're working hard to bring these individuals responsible into custody, we know that accountability doesn't stop there," he says. "The entire juvenile justice system must play a role in ensuring there are appropriate consequences for youth who are harming others and themselves, and effective resources available for them."