10-year-old from Minnesota arrested for driving a stolen car through a crowded playground

MINNEAPOLIS (CBS Minnesota) – Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says officers arrested a 10-year-old boy for recklessly driving a stolen vehicle through a crowded schoolyard.

The boy was booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center Thursday on probable cause second-degree assault. The incident occurred on September 20 at Nellie Stone Johnson School in north Minneapolis. Fortunately, no children were hit by the car on the playground.

Police records show the 10-year-old boy has at least 30 entries dating back to May 2023. He has been arrested at least twice for crimes related to car theft. The boy is also listed as a suspect in more than 12 cases, ranging from car theft to robbery to assault with a dangerous weapon. The remaining entries relate primarily to runaway-type cases.

The boy was identified as the driver of a stolen car that was driving on the lawn and sidewalk between the school and the playground. Surveillance video shows school staff desperately trying to get children away from the playground and to safety.

O'Hara says the 10-year-old's family has been cooperative with police and has asked for help to prevent their son or anyone else from being hurt or killed.

“It is unimaginable that a 10-year-old boy could have been involved in criminal activity of this magnitude without effective intervention,” O'Hara said. “Prison is not an acceptable option for a 10-year-old boy. But the adults who can stop this behavior in the future must act now to help this child and his family. This is just one example of the revolving door we are dealing with – arresting and re-arresting the same youth for car theft and other violent crimes. This is a complex issue and we must immediately bring together all entities involved in the intervention to find short and long-term solutions.”

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