Charges filed against 4 teens involved in robbery, shooting at Minneapolis store

Four teens have been charged for their alleged roles in robbing a Minneapolis corner store and subsequently shooting the cashier.

Public court records show two boys, ages 16 and 17, were both charged with aiding and abetting first-degree aggravated robbery and aiding and abetting second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. A court official said charges were also filed against two other boys, ages 14 and 15, but those documents are not publicly available.

Surveillance footage shows the four boys went into Bryn Mawr Market on South Cedar Lake Road around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday with the 17-year-old holding a semi-automatic handgun, according to a criminal affidavit. He pointed the gun at the cashier while the other boys went around the counter. At that point, the 14-year-old took the gun and pointed it at the cashier’s head while the 16-year-old tried to get the cash register open and the 15-year-old rifled through drawers behind the counter.

When the cashier couldn’t open the register, the 14-year-old pistol-whipped her and shoved the barrel of the gun against her head, the affidavit continues. The 15-year-old grabbed the gun away from the 14-year-old before stepping back and shooting the cashier in the foot. The 14-year-old then punched the victim in the face. As the boys ran away from the store, the 15-year-old suspect turned and shot the victim again, this time in the stomach.

The cashier had to be taken to the hospital and required immediate surgery. Her current condition is unknown.

Security footage from Bryn Mawr Market shows the suspects arriving in a red Mazda that was believed to be stolen from St. Paul. Police were able to find the vehicle, which had a distinctive turtle sticker on the rear driver’s side window. The vehicle was parked outside the 14-year-old’s residence, and police had it towed away.

Eventually, a group of people left the home, with one getting in a Hyundai parked outside and the rest walking toward Olson Memorial Highway and Penn Avenue. Police stopped the group that was on foot — two of the boys in that group were the 15- and 16-year-old suspects. During a stop of the Hyundai, the boy who got in the car was identified as the 14-year-old suspect.

A 9 mm handgun was recovered from the 15-year-old, and two rifle rounds were found during a search of the 14-year-old’s home, the affidavit states.

The 17-year-old was arrested in connection to a separate case.

Recent crimes has put the neighborhood on edge.

"I don’t see it ending soon," Jeffrey Caron, owner of Studio 411 Salon said. "I just feel it’s terrible. I’m nervous for spring, I’m not going to lie. In the past quite frankly, I thought my business was bulletproof, but it’s not anymore. It’s everywhere. We’ll see if things start to change."

A GoFundMe fundraiser to help the injured Bryn Mawr Market employee and the business had raised over $27,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.