Minneapolis Carjacking Spree Ends in Fatal Crash; Suspect Now Faces Federal Charges
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – A violent carjacking spree that left two women dead and a child seriously injured is now the focus of federal prosecution, as authorities announced charges against the suspect responsible late Friday morning, September 5, 2025.
The Incident
The chain of events began shortly after 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 4, near Lake Street East and 4th Avenue South in Minneapolis. Multiple 911 callers reported a man with a gun acting erratically. The suspect, later identified as Edward Tiki Arrington, 45, was driving a maroon Ford Explorer and recklessly swerving into traffic, speeding onto sidewalks, and narrowly missing pedestrians.
Arrington crashed into a white Infiniti SUV before attempting to carjack the driver at gunpoint. The driver escaped, but Arrington then turned his weapon on a black Volkswagen Passat, forcing its driver out and fleeing in the stolen car. Before leaving, he returned briefly to the Explorer to retrieve three dogs. Witnesses said he also fired shots at a passing work van as he fled the scene.
Over the next several minutes, Arrington targeted at least eight victims while pointing his gun at multiple motorists and even a pedestrian on Lake Street. Minneapolis police quickly issued a citywide alert for the stolen Volkswagen. At approximately 8:19 a.m., officers located Arrington in north Minneapolis and attempted a traffic stop. He fled, leading police on a brief pursuit. At Penn Avenue North and Olson Memorial Highway, Arrington sped through a red light and crashed into a blue Ford Focus sedan carrying three people.
Two women in their twenties, including the mother of a six-year-old boy in the back seat, were killed instantly. The child sustained bilateral femur fractures and a traumatic brain injury. Arrington was arrested at the scene and transported to North Memorial Hospital for treatment before being booked into custody. A firearm was recovered, along with the three dogs—two of which are receiving treatment, while one had to be euthanized.
Federal Charges Announced
On Friday, September 5, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota charged Arrington with one count of carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and could receive a life sentence. Carjacking resulting in death is a death penalty-eligible crime under federal law.
“Two young women should be alive today. Instead, their lives were cut short by a senseless crime committed by a career criminal,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “I am weary of this endless violence. Minnesota deserves peace. We will keep fighting to restore it.”
Authorities revealed that Arrington, who also goes by Troy Mike Payton, has an extensive criminal history, including prior convictions for assault and firearms offenses and a 2009 federal conviction for cocaine distribution.
Law Enforcement Response
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara condemned Arrington’s actions, calling him a “violent suspect [who] showed a complete disregard for the value of human life.” O’Hara said MPD will work with federal partners to “ensure that he is held fully accountable and that justice is pursued for the victims and their families.”
FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. added: “Violent carjackings have permeated Minneapolis for far too long. These federal charges represent our commitment to reduce violent crime in Minnesota. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.”
The investigation involved the Minneapolis Police Department, the FBI, and the Minnesota State Patrol, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Green.
Community Impact
The deaths of two young women and the severe injury to a child have reignited public concerns over violent crime in Minneapolis. Federal authorities emphasized their determination to use every available tool to protect residents and prevent similar tragedies.
“This was an absolutely senseless act of violence that destroyed families and put countless others at risk,” Thompson said. “Our office will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law.”
