Minnesota residents aired their grievances at a packed city council meeting Monday, complaining about rising crime in their neighborhood after a local mom was violently carjacked in her own driveway last month.
“We, the law-abiding people of this community have had enough,”one resident said before the Minnetonka City Council.
“When these kinds of car thefts and [some] with guns are happening in a community like this, something needs to be done,” another resident said, while carjacking victim Kelly Beason’s husband Craig cautioned that the same crime could happen to anyone.
Beason told FOX News Wednesday that the suspects followed her home from the grocery store and got inside two cars in her garage.
“I saw a couple of guys run up our driveway, and I ran out to the garage to see what was going on. One was in my husband’s car. One was in my car, and one took off running when he saw me, and I chased him. Then we were in the street,” she explained.
Beason said the suspects assaulted her, dragging her from one of the cars after she retrieved their cell phones from inside the vehicle. One even attacked her 13-year-old son after he came outside and dialed 911.
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“When they were leaving, they drove at us with both stolen cars. Both cars that they had were stolen,” she said.
Beason said it appears the issue is becoming more common as others in the community have shared similar experiences with her. In the aftermath, she says she’s thankful she and her son are okay.
“I think once I saw my son out there, that kind of really brought things to light, how serious it was. And especially when they went over and tried to take his phone and attacked him, that was [when] really the severity of it really came true,” she said.
Kelly’s husband, who also spoke with FOX News on Wednesday, blamed Hennepin County, Minnesota District Attorney Mary Moriarty, alleging she “stood on” the position “that she was not going to prosecute for crimes like this [carjackings]”
“I think is absolutely just irresponsible at best,” he said.
“I don’t feel that things are changing. Every elected official that I’ve reached out to has sat down and talked to Kelley myself about this, except the Hennepin County D.A., and the only person that can do something about this right now is the Hennepin County D.A.”
FOX News Digital reached out to Moriarty’s office for comment, but did not receive a response.
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Police arrested Romell Roshode Lewis, one of the suspects allegedly behind the incident, on Tuesday, according to FOX 9 in Minneapolis. Beason said three are still on the loose.
According to the outlet, Craig said at Monday’s city council meeting that his son still has “trauma” from the ordeal.
“He wakes up in the middle of the night at every car that drives down the street –thinking that someone’s going to come back again,” he said.
FOX News Digital also reached out to the Minnetonka City Council for comment on the incident.
Minnetonka Ward 3 Councilmember Bradley Schaeppi declined to comment, deferring to the mayor and city manager as the best spokespeople to comment further.
Deb Calvert, another city council representative, noted her support for law enforcement when she provided a statement:
“I share the feelings of fear, violation and the desire for action that come from horrific crimes like the carjacking that was highlighted at the meeting. I’m sorry it happened to them, and it’s unacceptable. I am proud of our police department and their work -and by example, the perpetrator was arrested yesterday thanks to their efforts…” the statement read in part.
“There are gaps in our criminal justice system – some of which depend on other units of government to help us solve in order to end the cycle of recidivism we are seeing, especially among juveniles. While our police often arrest people who commit crime here, there are zero juvenile facilities, and insufficient programs to hold offenders accountable, create the circuit breaker for juvenile crime and redirect juvenile offenders to a productive life. The City has shared its concerns on several occasions with county and state partners about the need for additional resources to hold teenage offenders (and others) accountable, face consequences and take responsibility, and ensure they receive the follow up or treatment they need to turn their lives around.Restorative justice was originally designed to support the victims of crime, not the criminals.
“We have to cleave to that principle as municipal leaders, in law enforcement, at the County Attorney’s office, the courts, and the legislature. Crime anywhere makes people feel unsafe, and it is our job to keep our residents safe. I am committed to doing so,” the statement continued.
Minnetonk Mayor Brad Wiersum also provided a statement to FOX News Digital via email.
“We continue to stay in touch with the Beason family and share their concern and anger. Minnetonka police have arrested a man charged in the carjacking case and we expect to see other developments soon. The city council welcomes the dialogue with community members at our recent meeting and appreciate the strong support for the work of our police department. Juvenile offenders have been involved in many of the region’s auto theft cases,” he said.
“The city has shared its concern on several occasions with county and state partners about the prosecution of such cases. We need a criminal justice system that is working better on all levels to ensure young offenders are truly held accountable and receive the appropriate treatment and follow up.”
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