One suspect was shot Tuesday night as he attempted to rob a plainclothes officer posing as a food delivery driver.
By Tim Harlow
The Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS — Three men picked the wrong food delivery driver to rob Tuesday night. The driver turned out to be a Minneapolis police officer who was in plain clothes.
The officer was posing as a food delivery driver as part of an operation set up by police in response to a series of armed robberies of food delivery drivers in neighborhoods just south of Interstate Hwy. 94 and east of downtown in the past few weeks, said Sgt. William Palmer.
As the officer was making a delivery around 9:15 p.m. in the area of 18th Street and 15th Avenue S., an adult man approached and pointed a handgun at the officer. The officer fired his gun twice, striking the man in the torso with both shots, Palmer said.
At that time, two other officers involved in the operation approached the scene. One of those officers also fired his weapon, Palmer said.
The suspect as taken to Hennepin County Medical Center. His condition was unknown Wednesday morning.
Police arrested a juvenile male in connection with the attempted robbery. A third suspect ran away and was still at large this morning, Palmer said.
The officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard police department procedure in shootings. Their identities as well as details on the case will be released later today, Palmer said.
The department’s Homicide and Internal Affairs units are investigating.
Copyright 2008 The Star Tribune