Two Women Dead After Violent Carjacking Chaos in Minneapolis
a devastating incident with very heartbreaking and permanent consequences
Minneapolis, MN (MinnesotaNow)-- A violent carjacking spree in Minneapolis Thursday morning ended in tragedy when a suspect fleeing police slammed into another vehicle, killing two women and injuring a child.
Timeline of the Minneapolis Carjacking and Deadly Crash
The chaos began just after 8 a.m. when police received reports of a man waving a gun near Lake Street and 4th Avenue South. Witnesses say the suspect, driving a maroon Ford Explorer, was speeding, swerving into oncoming traffic, and even hopping curbs onto sidewalks.
After crashing the SUV, the man pulled a gun on another driver stopped at a red light, but failed to steal the vehicle. Moments later, he carjacked a black Volkswagen sedan at gunpoint and sped away. Witnesses told police the man fired several shots as he fled.
READ MORE: Woman Killed, Man Injured in Crash at MN Intersection
The suspect briefly returned to the crashed Explorer to grab three dogs and other items, pointing a gun at a bystander before taking off again in the stolen Volkswagen.
Around 8:20 a.m., officers tracked the car downtown and tried to stop it. The driver took off, leading police on a three-minute chase that ended when he plowed into another vehicle at Olson Memorial Highway and Penn Avenue North.
Two women in that car died at the scene. A juvenile boy riding with them survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect was arrested at the scene and taken to the hospital. Police said he will be booked into Hennepin County Jail once released. A gun was found in the stolen car, along with the three dogs. Two are being treated for injuries, while a third was euthanized.
“This is an outcome we never want—a devastating incident with very heartbreaking and permanent consequences,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in a statement. “A gunman drove recklessly throughout the city, at excessive speeds and even onto sidewalks, carjacking a woman and firing shots on a crowded city street, jeopardizing human life.”
The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the deadly crash. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the names of the victims.