2 teens shot, man arrested after car stolen in north Minneapolis, police say
Two teenagers are recovering from gunshot wounds and a 20-year-old man is in custody after a car was stolen in north Minneapolis early Thursday.
According to Minneapolis police, around 1:15 a.m., officers responded to a report of three people stealing a vehicle on the 3500 block of Colfax Avenue North. Shortly after the car was stolen, 911 callers reported multiple gunshots in the area.
Ten minutes later, two teenagers were dropped off at North Memorial Medical Center in the stolen car, which then left the scene. A 14-year-old and a 16-year-old had both been shot, police say.
Twenty minutes later, police in Robbinsdale saw the stolen car driving erratically on Colfax Avenue North. Police pursued the car, which crashed near the 4300 block of Marshall Street Northeast in Fridley.
The 20-year-old was arrested and taken to the hospital to evaluate his injuries related to the crash. According to Robbinsdale police, he at one point reached 90 mph while travelling in a 20 mph zone in the stolen Infinity sedan. A spokesperson said that officers were approximately 1,000 feet behind when the driver lost control and went off the roadway, causing the car to roll over onto its roof.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said that the two teenagers are known to police, with prior charges related to fleeing police and motor vehicle infractions.
"Committing this crime last night, trying to steal another car, they almost lost their lives," O'Hara said.
Police are still looking for the shooter. O'Hara said that investigators did not recover a weapon from the stolen vehicle or the trio involved in its theft; he said police are still trying to determine what exactly led to the gunfire.
In any event, neighbors along Colfax Avenue said this kind of violence is something they are accustomed to in their neighborhood. A 15-year-old girl, asking just to go by Emily, told WCCO that car thefts are now "normalized" for her generation.
"They're more exposed to it, it's kind of like normal, they see grown-ups do it, they think it's right," Emily said.
O'Hara said that he believes a "new group" of teenagers is now getting involved with car thefts. He said in the past, there have been instances where teenagers compete with one another when it comes to stealing cars.
The method varies. He said that while there are instances of car thieves using sophisticated technology, he said about 40% of car thefts in 2026 are a result of drivers leaving their keys in their vehicle.
As of Wednesday, Minneapolis police recorded reports of about 1,571 stolen cars. That's up from 1,222 in the same time frame in 2025.