Man shot during attempted carjacking in Minneapolis, search for suspects underway

A driver was shot during an attempted carjacking in Minneapolis' Whittier neighborhood Saturday night. 

Reports say it happened in the area of Pleasant Ave. and West 28th Street. According to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), the 911 call came in shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday. Bystanders were credited for "rendering assistance to the victims" and "providing support on scene immediately after the attempted carjacking."

The suspects fled the scene, police say. Only the driver was shot; his passengers were not harmed. 

Following the incident, officers were "in the area looking for suspects," though no arrests have been made yet. 

There's also no word yet on the condition of the victim. 

The incident comes amid an ongoing wave of carjackings not only in the Twin Cities, but also across the country, since the start of the pandemic.

Last year, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office noted a rise in carjackings from 2020. And of the 138 incidents in 2021, 94 involved juvenile suspects.

The office announced in December that it intended to "ramp up" prosecutions of carjackings, dedicating two prosecutors to the cases. One prosecutor will focus on cases with adult suspects, while the other will work on cases with juvenile suspects. 

Note: The details provided in this story are based on the police’s latest version of events, and may be subject to change.