Woman arrested after fatal hit-and-run crash in downtown Minneapolis – community reactions

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A 22-year-old woman was arrested following a fatal hit-and-run crash in downtown Minneapolis early Saturday morning. The incident, which occurred near 5th Street North and Hennepin Avenue, left one teenager dead and several others injured.

A 16-year-old girl was killed in the accident. She died in hospital from injuries sustained in the collision. Five other people were also injured, including two 14-year-old girls, a 24-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. All three suffered non-life-threatening injuries. A 29-year-old woman is still in critical condition in hospital.

READ MORE: Minneapolis: Deadly hit-and-run: Teenager dies when woman drives into crowd

Neighbors near 5th Street North and Hennepin Avenue reacted differently as they woke up to the tragic news Saturday morning.

“There's a saying that nothing good happens after midnight in most downtown areas, and that's just common sense,” said Daniel Stensgeanrd of Daniel's Custom Clothing, a tailor at the intersection of the incident.

According to police, the suspect was involved in a fight before getting into a vehicle, backing up and driving the wrong way down 5th Street, hitting a crowd of people near the sidewalk.

“It's shocking that something like this could happen overnight. We live in this neighborhood, we work here, and it's a tragedy to know that someone lost their life here last night,” said Alysha Haugen.

After fleeing the scene, the suspect was later arrested on Bryant Avenue North and booked into the Hennepin County Jail.

According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, the situation could have been more deadly. Several videos from the scene of the accident showed at least a dozen people in the path of the car. He also mentioned that a woman had already been seriously injured before the accident.

“The video of the incident is absolutely horrifying,” O'Hara said at a press conference. “There are no words to describe how tragic and senseless it is to lose a 16-year-old girl over something like this.”