A 10-year-old boy has been arrested in Minneapolis for allegedly stealing a car and driving it recklessly near a school playground, coming within feet of striking children playing outside Nellie Stone Johnson School on September 20th.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara revealed on Friday that the child had a growing history of violent and dangerous offenses.
The arrest, reported by Fox 9, was caught on surveillance footage showing the boy driving the stolen car back and forth near the school before dangerously veering onto the sidewalk. Miraculously, no children were injured.
Chief O’Hara confirmed that the boy was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center. He faces charges of second-degree assault and reckless driving.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) has filed charges in this case, but, in a twist that has shocked citizens, the same office has also hinted that the boy may evade real consequences yet again.
A psychologist will determine whether the child is “competent” to stand trial, and if deemed incompetent, he will be released back into the community.
“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,” an attorney’s office spokesperson said in a statement.
This arrest marks just the latest in a string of criminal activities for the 10-year-old, who, according to police, has been involved in at least two prior auto theft incidents and is suspected in more than a dozen other cases, including assault with a dangerous weapon and robbery.
His rap sheet reportedly dates back to May 2023, and law enforcement says it includes around 30 incidents, many involving runaway behavior. Despite this long history of criminal activity, city officials and the justice system have failed to intervene effectively.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara released the following statement:
“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 also issued a statement addressing the crisis, stating:
“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.”
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