A teenage girl was killed after a hit-and-run driver plowed into a crowd following an after-midnight fight involving multiple teens over the weekend in downtown Minneapolis — and business owners and residents are fed-up with the lawlessness, WCCO-TV reported.
Officers responded to a report of a hit-and-run crash on Fifth Street North at Hennepin Avenue around 12:23 a.m. Saturday, the station said, citing police, who said the female suspect drove in reverse on Hennepin and then drove the wrong way on Fifth Street into the crowd.
Chief O’Hara added to WCCO, presumably in reference to the involved teenagers, that ‘I’m not their parent, right? So I can tell you my kid isn’t gonna be hanging out on Hennepin Avenue at 12:30 at night in the middle of all this stuff going on here with bars.’
Six people were taken to Hennepin Healthcare, including a 16-year-old girl who later died, the station said, adding that another victim sustained life-threatening injuries while a handful of others suffered less serious injuries.
“The video of this incident is absolutely horrific,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said, according to WCCO. “There aren’t words to describe how tragic and senseless it is.”
The station interviewed residents and business owners who expressed outrage and frustration over what they call an out-of-control environment that plays out on a weekly basis.
“It’s a nuthouse out here, man,” one downtown resident told WCCO. “That’s every weekend. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened sooner.” The resident added to the station off camera that “it’s a zoo out here, man, and it’s not getting any better.”
Daniel Stensgaard, a business owner, added to the station that city leaders “should have their asses down here starting at 11 o’clock at night and let them walk around and watch the shortage of police officers and what’s happened.”
Chief O’Hara added to WCCO, presumably in reference to the involved teenagers, that “I’m not their parent, right? So I can tell you my kid isn’t gonna be hanging out on Hennepin Avenue at 12:30 at night in the middle of all this stuff going on here with bars.”
The police report added that the suspect drove out of downtown but that witnesses followed her, the station said. Police noted that representatives from multiple law enforcement agencies stopped the suspect on the 2300 block of Bryant Avenue North and arrested her, after which she was booked into Hennepin County Jail, WCCO said, adding that charges are pending.
You can view a video report here about the incident, which includes interviews with concerned locals and business owners as well as a brief clip of the hit-and-run, which appears to end prior to the moment of impact.
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Downtown, Fatal car crash, Hit-and-run, Minneapolis, Police shortage, Teen girl dies, Arrest, Fight, Crime
