MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota man was arrested after allegedly carjacking five people in just about an hour’s time, investigators said.
The Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, working as part of a “carjacking crackdown,” said Brandon Lee Rock, 20, and a young boy approached a man who was getting into his car around 7 a.m. Nov. 27, WCCO reported. Rock pointed a handgun at the man and demanded his wallet, cellphone and car keys, police said. The two then drove off in the victim’s vehicle.
At 7:15 a.m., they approached another man. Rock pointed his gun at the man, took his wallet and jacket, and fled, investigators said.
Then at 7:50 a.m., Rock and the boy pulled up next to a woman in a car. They blocked her from getting out of her car and Rock pointed the gun at her. He demanded that she get out of the car and to give them her purse, investigators said. When she refused and drove off, Rock fired multiple times at her car.
At 8 a.m., a man was sitting in his car using a phone when Rock tapped on the window with his gun. Rock demanded he get out of the vehicle and hand over his keys, cellphone and anything else of value, officials said. Rock and the boy got into the car, but later got out and left in the car they took from the first carjacking.
At 8:10 a.m., the two drove up to a man who was walking and demanded his personal items, investigators said. When the man tried to run, Rock and the boy took an envelope from his back pocket that was filled with $1,300.
At 8:20 a.m., police saw the first victim’s car and tried to pull it over; however, the car sped off. The car was later found abandoned. Officers found the second victim’s wallet and jacket inside it.
Officers got a search warrant for Rock’s residence, where they found multiple victims’ personal items and a loaded 9 mm handgun.
Rock was arrested and charged with five counts of first-degree aggravated robbery and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, according to jail records. He faces up to 107 years in prison if convicted.