Minneapolis family wants change and accountability after robbery, home invasion
Erin Karnowski remains shaken after her brush with carjackers last week near Lake Nokomis. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minneapolis Police Department is warning residents after an uptick in robberies and home invasions. In these scenarios, they say two or more suspects follow a person to their homes, then rob and sometimes assault them.
One family living near Lake Nokomis thinks they could be the latest victims of this sort of brazen crime.
Minneapolis family wants change and accountability after robbery, home invasion
The Minneapolis Police Department is warning residents after an uptick in robberies and home invasions. In these scenarios, they say two or more suspects follow a person to their homes, then rob and sometimes assault them. One family living near Lake Nokomis thinks they could be the latest victims of this sort of brazen crime.
Erin Karnowski was getting ready to take her four-year-old daughter to dance class last Thursday afternoon after running some errands.
She walked out to her car and saw two men rummaging through it, and a woman in a second vehicle watching.
"One of them came behind me, put me in a headlock, and pulled me to my feet. There was a gun pointed at my head the whole time," said Karnowski.
With hoods up and masks on, the two men forced Erin back into her home.
"When we walked in, my daughter was standing right there, so she did see me, in a headlock with a gun, with two very scary, bad guys," said Karnowski.
The entire ordeal was over in about two minutes. The criminals stole her car, phone, and wallet, but the real price of this crime cost Erin, her husband, Kalen, and their two daughters much more than any physical possession.
"I have to take a leave from work to heal, to process this...that can't be replaced, right? Our life has flipped upside down because of this," said Karnowski.
The family doesn't want to leave the city they've called home for 14 years. They want accountability on all levels: from the perpetrators, from the city, and from our legal system taking crimes like this seriously.
"Whether it's manpower or just the justice system taking a higher priority with these...something needs to change. They continue to get more brazen, more violent and it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured or killed," said Kalen.
FOX 9 has learned the investigation into this case has been transferred from the Minneapolis Police Department to Minneapolis Park Police. This is atypical because the family does not live on park property and the crime did not occur on park property.
As of Wednesday afternoon, no arrests have been made in this case.