Twenty people arrested, 18 of them now charged — all connected to brutal robberies in downtown Minneapolis.
The attacks were caught on surveillance video, taking place in August. Police say groups of people would target one person, assault them, and often to take their cellphone and wallet. The 18 suspects range in age from 15 to 27.
Walking alone is all part of Sneh Bhakta’s commute in downtown Minneapolis.
“It does make me feel singled out because all the time I am alone,” Bhakta said. “And like when I commute at 6 in the morning, I am by myself, at the train station I’m alone.”
His concerns grew upon seeing the disturbing robberies caught on tape, occurring near the places he walks. At about 4 a.m. on August 17, at the intersection of 5th Street and Hennepin Avenue, a man stands by himself while looking down at his phone. Slowly but surely, people approach him to talk. Eventually he is surrounded, beaten and left unconscious — all so the thieves could take his phone and wallet.
ICE accuses Dem lawmaker of joining ‘rioting crowd’ in Arizona, interfering in mass arrest
Trump rips Indiana GOP leader over redistricting fight, warns Republicans could face ‘MAGA primary’
Ukrainian woman charged over Russian-backed cyberattacks; $10M reward offered for others
Walz urges Noem to ‘reassess’ immigration enforcement strategy in Minnesota after alleged citizen arrests
Obama surprises Chicago students in Santa hat for holiday library storytime reading session
Activist group hits federal judge with judicial misconduct complaint for attending Trump rally
Elite College Football Program Rocked, Head Coach Fired in Salacious Scandal
Former music teacher allegedly groomed and had inappropriate relationship with teen student
Democrat Notches Party’s First Win in Decades in Major Red State Mayor’s Race
Multiple Suspects Arrested After 7 Students Overdose at a Single College Party
Microsoft Announces $17.5 Billion Investment in India After Laying Off Thousands of Americans in 2025
Charity Group Begs Trump for a ‘Christmas Miracle’ After USPS Rejects Hundreds of Care Packages Meant for Overseas Troops
Watch: Trump Drives a Stake Through the Heart of Fake News That He’s Ticked at Hegseth and Noem
Moderate Republicans buck leadership with bid to force vote on Obamacare subsidies as premium cliff looms
Burgum calls California a ‘national security risk’ as Energy chief warns blue states are skewing cost averages
A few weeks earlier outside Target Field, another group targets a man who is alone in broad daylight. They attack him, and even ride a bike over his body — all to steal his belongings.
Police said during a three-week stretch in August, 48 robberies were reported in downtown with 23 happening in one week.
From January 1 to August 26 in 2018, police said there were 156 robberies downtown. During that same span in 2019 there were 240 — an increase of 53.8%
Most of the robberies are taking place along between 3rd and 6th Street, as well as Hennepin and 2nd Avenue. The key time is from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Police said the criminals in the recent cases “finesse” the victim. They search for easy targets, typically someone who is intoxicated, alone, and looking at their phone.
“Many of these juveniles that are affected by this are part of just coming out of incarceration and they don’t have any hope at home, there’s nothing there, and so they come downtown where there’s a little bit of everything and they’re waiting on somebody to prey on,” said V.J. Smith, founder of MAD DADS Minneapolis.
ICE accuses Dem lawmaker of joining ‘rioting crowd’ in Arizona, interfering in mass arrest
Trump rips Indiana GOP leader over redistricting fight, warns Republicans could face ‘MAGA primary’
Ukrainian woman charged over Russian-backed cyberattacks; $10M reward offered for others
Walz urges Noem to ‘reassess’ immigration enforcement strategy in Minnesota after alleged citizen arrests
Obama surprises Chicago students in Santa hat for holiday library storytime reading session
Activist group hits federal judge with judicial misconduct complaint for attending Trump rally
Elite College Football Program Rocked, Head Coach Fired in Salacious Scandal
Former music teacher allegedly groomed and had inappropriate relationship with teen student
Democrat Notches Party’s First Win in Decades in Major Red State Mayor’s Race
Multiple Suspects Arrested After 7 Students Overdose at a Single College Party
Microsoft Announces $17.5 Billion Investment in India After Laying Off Thousands of Americans in 2025
Charity Group Begs Trump for a ‘Christmas Miracle’ After USPS Rejects Hundreds of Care Packages Meant for Overseas Troops
Watch: Trump Drives a Stake Through the Heart of Fake News That He’s Ticked at Hegseth and Noem
Moderate Republicans buck leadership with bid to force vote on Obamacare subsidies as premium cliff looms
Burgum calls California a ‘national security risk’ as Energy chief warns blue states are skewing cost averages
The organization is an outreach group that fills downtown every weekend. They will do everything from break up fights to feed people, but most importantly be the adult figure at-risk youth might be missing in their lives. Many of those arrested for the robberies are juveniles who MAD DADS workers have interacted with.
“These people in the community that are doing this, we have to have some consequences for this, but we also have to get to the heart of it. What’s wrong? What’s your problem? Is it education? Is it mental health? What is it and let’s treat it and let’s fix it,” he said.
After the recent arrests, police said robberies dropped to just three in one week earlier this month. Regardless, Bhakta plans to keep his guard up.
“It’s still challenging to feel, like, safe, because I’m always kind of vigilant about my surroundings, and if something doesn’t happen to me, it might happen to someone else and just being aware of that,” Bhakta said.
Story cited here.
