Tuesday, October 08, 2024 - A 10-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly driving a stolen car across a busy school playground in the US state of Minnesota.
CCTV footage shows a large group of children playing at
Nellie Stone Johnson School in Minneapolis on September 20 when a car can be
seen crossing over the lawn nearby.
Staff spot the car as it begins to approach the playground
and frantically try to move kids out of harm’s way.
The car eventually passes right over a path in between the
playground and the school, missing the children by just a few metres.
One girl who was walking from the school towards the
playground only narrowly avoids being hit, having spotted the car just before
crossing the path.
Minneapolis Police Department said the boy has at least 30
entries on their records dating back to May 2023, including two arrests for
alleged vehicle theft.
"The boy is also listed as a suspect in more than 12
cases that range from auto theft to robbery to assault with a dangerous
weapon," the force added.
Prosecutors have announced criminal charges against the boy,
CBS News reports, meaning he could face trial, though police don’t want him to
go to prison.
A court-appointed psychologist will assess the child and
could deem him incompetent to stand trial.
If that happens, the case "must be dismissed or
suspended, and the child must be released from custody," Hennepin County
Attorney’s Office said.
In a statement, it added: "We are facing an urgent
crisis in our community related to a small group of children who are not
competent to stand trial in the juvenile justice system, but who cannot safely
be at home."
"We cannot charge or prosecute our way out of this
crisis," it continued.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara said: "It is unfathomable
that a 10-year-old boy has been involved in this level of criminal activity
without effective intervention.
"Prison is not an acceptable option for a 10-year-old
boy. But the adults who can stop this behavior going forward must act
now to help this child and his family.
"This is only one example of the revolving door we’re
dealing with – arresting and re-arresting the same juveniles for auto-theft and
other violent crimes.
"This is a complex issue, and we need every entity
involved in intervention to come together immediately to establish short- and
long-term solutions."
No children were injured in the incident on September 20.
Watch video below.
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