Stolen Vehicle Drives Next To Crowded Playground, Police Say 10-Year-old In Custody

Stolen Vehicle Drives Next To Crowded Playground, Police Say 10-Year-old In Custody

Minneapolis police are detailing a frightening incident in which children were almost hit by a stolen car – driven by a 10-year-old boy – next to a playground.

Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the boy is in custody for the incident.

The incident unfolded on September 20 at Nellie Stone Johnson School in North Minneapolis. Video provided by police shows the vehicle driving through the playground’s green space, coming dangerously close to playground equipment as school staff tried to move the children away from harm.

No one was injured in the incident, which can be watched in the video player below.

WATCH

Police said they were able to identify the 10-year-old, who they say has at least 30 entries in their police records dating back to May 2023. They said he has been arrested at least twice before for auto theft-related crimes and has been listed as a suspect in more than 12 cases.

“It is unfathomable that a 10-year-old boy has been involved in this level of criminal activity without effective intervention,” said 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.”

The Minneapolis Police Department said the family has been cooperative with them and has asked for help to keep their son or anyone else from being injured or killed.

“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,” O’Hara said. “This is a complex issue, and we need every entity involved in intervention to come together immediately to establish short- and long-term solutions.”

During a press conference on Friday, O’Hara said the boy has been charged with reckless driving and receiving stolen property.

“We made a decision to charge this child because of the significant safety implications for the child and broader community,” said Sarah Davis, the director of the Children and Families Division at the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, who wouldn’t discuss specifics of the case.

Generally speaking, a child’s competency must be determined before a case like this can go forward. According to Davis, that means a child must be capable of understanding the legal proceedings and assisting their lawyer in their defense.

“Kids ages 10, 11, 12 years old are generally not competent to stand trial,” said Davis. “It’s not a decision that’s made by our office, a court-appointed psychologist makes a recommendation to a judge who ultimately makes the decision.”

Davis explained if a child is found not competent to stand trial, the case is either dismissed or suspended until another evaluation can be conducted in six months.

“You can’t wait six months, a year, multiple years to address the needs they have at that moment,” said Davis. “We do know there’s a gap here.”

A new law going into effect in 2026 will increase the age of delinquency from 10 years old to 13 years old. This means cases involving children younger than 13 will be handled as a Child in Need of Protection or Services, CHIPS, cases instead of juvenile delinquency cases.

“Resources on that side can range from general supports depending on what the specific needs are, whether that’s mental health or housing or whatever that child or that family needs,” said Davis. “It could also range from to residential out-of-home placements.”

She added, “One of the challenges we have though is that we do not have sufficient residential placement resources for kids with really complex needs. […] What we really need are residential placements with varying levels of security in our community that are resources and staffed to successfully treat our youth with complex needs.”

The boy is currently in the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center. His name hasn’t been released.

SOURCE: abc KSTP.COM