10-year-old boy caught in chilling video circling a playground full of children with a stolen car: Police

A 10-year-old boy has been arrested in Minneapolis after driving a stolen car past a playground full of children, police said.

The incident occurred on Sept. 20 at Nellie Stone Johnson School in north Minneapolis. Fortunately, no children were injured, and none were hit by the vehicle.

The young driver, whose name has not been released, was taken into custody and booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center on probable cause for second-degree assault.

According to the Minneapolis Police Department, the boy is known to authorities, with at least 30 recorded incidents involving him since May 2023. He has been arrested multiple times before for auto theft and is linked to over a dozen cases ranging from robbery to assault with a dangerous weapon, in addition to runaway reports.

Surveillance footage from the school shows the car driving across the grass and sidewalks near the playground, narrowly avoiding children as it passed by several times.

Staff members are seen rushing to move children out of harm’s way, with one young girl barely stopping herself from stepping into the car’s path.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed deep concern over the boy’s criminal history at such a young age, stating, “It is unfathomable that a 10-year-old boy has been involved in this level of criminal activity without effective intervention.”

O’Hara emphasized that prison is not a solution for a child of this age and called for immediate action from adults to prevent further incidents.

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O’Hara also highlighted the broader issue of repeatedly arresting the same juveniles for similar offenses, calling for more effective intervention from multiple entities to address the problem.

The boy’s family has been cooperative with authorities and is seeking help to prevent further harm.