A Brooklyn Center police pursuit of a homicide suspect ended in a serious crash Friday afternoon, injuring several people and killing a six-year-old child.
The crash unfolded after 4:30 p.m. on the border of Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis on the 5300 block of Humboldt Avenue North. Minneapolis police were asked to assist, according to police dispatch audio.
A chaotic scene was described on dispatch with at least four EMS rigs requested. Audio indicated that a suspect was taken into custody at the scene. The dispatcher also aired to arriving medics that a child was unconscious, and CPR was being performed on the child. Another party had a broken leg, according to dispatch. EMS eventually said the most serious injuries were to two children, one of whom was reported to be 15 years old. Another child involved in the crash was reported to be two years old, at the time.
Brooklyn Center police released a statement saying five people had been injured in the crash, including the suspect. At the time of the statement, police said all five were reported to be in stable condition, although one victim had sustained a significant injury.
However, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said in an update on Saturday afternoon that five people had been in the vehicle struck by the suspect and that a six-year-old in the vehicle had died of their injuries.
In Brooklyn Center’s earlier statement, police said at approximately 4:20 p.m., their officers had received specific information that an adult male murder suspect with an active arrest warrant was in their city. Officers located the suspect in a vehicle and requested help from the State Patrol helicopter. Police said they also attempted to use a tire-deflating device to prevent a possible pursuit during the arrest attempt. However, the device failed to immobilize the suspect vehicle, which fled and a pursuit ensued.
The BCPD statement said the helicopter arrived overhead just as the suspect vehicle collided with an unrelated vehicle at 53rd and Humboldt. Law enforcement officers arriving on the scene immediately rendered aid to the parties involved in the crash.
Several photos were subsequently posted on social media showing the crash scene. One photo showed a male who appeared to be cuffed and was alleged to be the suspect. The cuffed male appeared to match a wanted murder suspect whose mugshot had been released earlier in the week.
The suspect. pic.twitter.com/dWwJFB7JLt
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) July 16, 2022
Hennepin County Jail records appear to confirm the person arrested at the scene was murder suspect Hakeem Waheed Muhammad, 28, who had been wanted in the April murder of 29-year-old Devan Trevon Dampier in Minneapolis.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association released a statement following the incident.
“Over the past several months, violent crime has been at an all-time high. Violent criminals, wanted by law enforcement for crimes that have already been committed, continue to devastate our communities, and often go undetected until they are apprehended by law enforcement. Today an innocent family, unrelated to the murder suspect, suffered irreparable and inexcusable harm due to the actions of this violent criminal trying to evade a lawful warrant for his arrest,” the group said.
“These criminals act without regard to the safety of others. Until our criminal justice system provides a punitive deterrent for these criminals, violent crime will continue, and our communities will endure the consequences. We ask the community to keep the innocent victim’s family in their thoughts and prayers,” they added.
Alpha News will continue to follow developments in this story.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes 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.
