Man Dies after Fleeing Police in Stolen Car on I-35W

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Police say a man running from them was struck and killed on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis early Saturday. Officers from the Precinct located a vehicle that was stolen out of Minneapolis in the area of Lake Street East and 16th Avenue South.

At about 3:22 a.m., officers attempted to stop the vehicle but it fled, traveling westbound on Lake Street East at a high rate of speed.

Officers pursued the stolen vehicle on Lake Street East for approximately 12 blocks before it crashed into the embankment of Interstate 35W. The three suspects in the vehicle all got out and ran up the embankment towards the interstate, according to a news release.

Officers arrested Amber Schaffer, age 34, before she made it onto the interstate; however the two male suspects started to cross the northbound traffic lanes. Police say one of the two males, a 25-year-old, jumped the center median and was struck by a vehicle in the southbound traffic lanes.

Officers recovered a handgun near the victim after he had been struck by the vehicle.

The 25 year-old suspect was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) by paramedics where he later died. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the name of the deceased, as well as the cause and nature of his death.

The second male suspect, Anthony Haro, age 28, was arrested by officers on the shoulder of the southbound lanes of the interstate.

Haro was arrested for Felony Auto Theft and Felony Fleeing Police in a Motor Vehicle. Schaffer was arrested for Fleeing Police on Foot and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, both Misdemeanors. The 25 year-old suspect that died was found to have a Felony Department of Corrections warrant for his arrest stemming from an Aggravated Robbery charge.

The Minneapolis Police Department is continuing to investigate the vehicle chase. The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the pedestrian who was struck on the freeway related to the vehicle chase.

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