Deputies arrest 12-year-old driver after stolen vehicle chase in Minneapolis
Pictured is the aftermath of a police chase in Minneapolis with a 12-year-old driver and 14-year-old passenger in a stolen car (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Two boys, ages 12 and 14, were arrested after leading police on a chase through Minneapolis in a stolen vehicle, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
Officers with the Violent Offender Task Force and Minneapolis Police Department saw a stolen vehicle driving recklessly and passing other cars in North Minneapolis. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the driver quickly drove away, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
The 12-year-old driver was slowing down to get through traffic, and law enforcement used spike strips in attempts to stop the vehicle. The boy attempted to drive away with deflated tires, and officers conducted a PIT maneuver which safely stopped the car.
One of the boys attempted to run on foot but was quickly apprehended by officers, according to law enforcement.
At the time of the arrest, the 12-year-old boy had a cast on his leg from a recent gunshot wound, said the sheriff's office. Both boys were taken into custody and charged with felony fleeing police in a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property.
The traffic stop was part of Operation Endeavor with detectives from the Violent Offender Task Force and officers with the Minneapolis Police Department.