A 10-year-old boy has been arrested for probable cause 2nd degree assault after allegedly driving a stolen vehicle through a crowded school playground back on September 20th in North Minneapolis.
Minneapolis police arrested the boy on Thursday for the incident that happened at Nellie Stone Johnson School. Video, which can be seen here, shows the boy driving the vehicle through a grassy area just beyond the playground where children and school staff are gathered. The boy then drives even closer, on a sidewalk between the school and playground as school staff frantically try to get children out of harm's way.
“It is unfathomable that a 10-year-old boy has been involved in this level of criminal activity without effective intervention,” wrote Minneapolis Police Chief, Brian O’Hara. “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 to help this child and his family. 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.”
Minneapolis police said Friday that police records show the 10-year-old boy has at least 30 entries dating back to May 2023 and has been arrested twice before for auto theft related crimes. He's also a suspect in more than 12 cases including auto theft, robbery, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
O’Hara said the 10-year-old’s family is cooperative with police and have asked for help to keep their son or anyone else from being injured or killed.