The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has announced that eighteen people have been charged in relation to at least two of the brutal assaults and robberies in downtown Minneapolis over the past few months.
Several of the assaults were captured on security video and have made their way online, including one particularly brutal assault reported to have happened on Aug. 3 just outside Target Field in what appears to be broad daylight. The graphic video shows the white male victim being assaulted relentlessly by several black males who punched him repeatedly, stomped on him, stripped his clothes off and even rode a bicycle over him. Another report further details the brutal assault describing the victim being body-slammed and cowering and trying to protect himself.
The video appears to pan around the area and zoom in and out indicating that security personnel in control of the camera may have been watching the entire incident unfold. Police are not shown arriving at any point during the nearly three-minute assault.
A report included on the Live Leak video indicated that most of the violent robberies and assaults were occurring in an area near Hennepin, First and Second Avenues, between Third and Sixth Streets, and happened between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.
A Minneapolis Crime Watch page on Facebook that covers the downtown area has posted several reports of assaults and robberies involving cell phones over the summer, including a post about a strong arm robbery just before midnight last week on Sept. 9 at 6th and Hennepin. Another post just after 1 a.m. on Aug. 22 described a strong arm robbery outside Brothers Bar on 1st Avenue North in which a white male was robbed of his cell phone by two black males. And at the end of May a post reported that Metro Transit police were trying to chase down several robbery suspects at 4th and Hennepin.
After the violent videos came to light last week, an online petition was authored by a Minneapolis area resident demanding accountability and named the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and several Minneapolis City Council members. The petition is calling for the perpetrators of these violent crimes and other violent offenders to be prosecuted “vigorously.” The petition also calls for the formation of a task force to examine the ongoing [crime] problems in downtown and other areas of Minneapolis.
In the press release regarding the charges, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) said that eighteen people who range in age from 15 to 27 years old have been charged with various counts of robbery in connection with two separate incidents in downtown Minneapolis last month, including the Aug. 3 assault.
The release said that the second incident occurred in the early morning hours of Aug. 17 near Fifth Street and Hennepin Avenue. According to the complaint, the victim told police he was with friends in a downtown bar but after he left, he was standing on the corner using his phone when a group surrounded him and tried to take his wallet.
Only one person, Adrian Cooper, 25, of Brooklyn Center was charged in both of the crimes. All of the adults and juveniles were charged with a sole count or combination of attempted first-degree robbery, first-degree robbery, aiding and abetting first-degree robbery and third-degree riot. All but the riot charges are felonies.
According to criminal complaints and juvenile petitions, the first incident occurred during daylight on the morning of Aug. 3. Minneapolis Police received surveillance video of an attempted robbery outside of Target Field. The video showed about a dozen people trying to take a man’s cell phone and viciously beat him and kick him as they also ripped off his shoes and pants as they went through his pockets.
Eleven of the suspects were named by the HCAO as: Antonio Morrow, Adrian Cooper, Kareem Shavers, Ade Davis, Cornell Porter, Vincent Nelson, Romez Brewer, Dashawn Sanders, Alexis Dillard-Grayer, Jamar Robinson and Boris Lusmbo. The remainder of the 18 are presumed to be the juveniles charged, whose information is not publicly available.
Follow Alpha News for developments and updates on these cases.
Sponsor this content. You can help ensure that Alpha News can continue to publish important public safety news and information. Email: pbagnpghf@nycunarjfza.pbz.
###
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information offers citizen-powered news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
