Minneapolis Police Launch Crime Spree Protocol After 87 Vehicles Are Damaged Overnight
Updated
Updated · KSTP · Aug 22
Minneapolis Police Launch Crime Spree Protocol After 87 Vehicles Are Damaged Overnight
3 articles · Updated · KSTP · Aug 22
Summary
At least 87 vehicles were damaged between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Friday across Minneapolis, prompting police to activate an all-hands Crime Spree Response Protocol; no arrests had been made by Friday afternoon.
Investigators said the smashed-window incidents hit several neighborhoods — including areas near Boom Island Park, Whittier, Marshall Terrace and Logan Park — and they are still determining whether the cases are connected.
Witnesses described groups using flashlights before smashing windows, while some residents said nothing was stolen, suggesting parts of the spree may have involved vandalism as well as break-ins.
The latest damage came just a week after another spree hit more than 30 cars, reviving a pattern that led police to use the same protocol last year when more than 500 vehicles were damaged over several weeks.
Ward 3 Councilmember Michael Rainville tied the attacks to broader public-safety strains, arguing staffing and pursuit-policy debates will intensify as Minneapolis confronts a $60 million budget deficit.