Update: 18 of 20 People Charged For Brutal Attacks On Random People In Popular Area Of Downtown Minneapolis [VIDEO]

UPDATE:

According to KSTP.com 18 people ranging in age from 15-27 years old have been charged with various counts of robbery relating to two separate incidents in a very popular area of downtown Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office announced "All adults and juveniles were charged with a sole count or combination of attempted first-degree robbery, first-degree robbery, aiding and abetting first-degree robbery and third-degree riot. All but the riot charges are felonies, according to a release." This is a huge relief to not only residents of Minneapolis but also for tourists who walk those very streets on a regular basis.

ORIGINAL STORY:

For weeks last month on a stretch of Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis a coordinated group of people set out to brutally attack and steal smart phones from people walking down a segment of Hennepin Avenue. Most of these robberies and assaults happened along Hennepin, 1st, and 2nd Avenues, between 3rd and 6th Streets, and mostly after 10 p.m.

According to FOX 9 in one case a man was on 5th street and Hennepin Avenue looking down at his phone when he became surrounded by about 7 people who brutally beat him, stole his phone and left him unconscious on the sidewalk.

Robbery is up 46% in downtown Minneapolis and in a three week period in August- 47 robberies occured and each time the victims smart phone was stolen.

WARNING: THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO BELOW IS VERY GRAPHIC

Bill Peterson is the new inspector for downtown Minneapolis and he said that many of the victims were intoxicated and these groups will initially engage in some type pf conversation with the victim to see how drunk they are which makes them an easier target. Apparently this coordinated mugging is called "Finessing."

During an intensive 3 day sweep of the area and using undercover officers Minneapolis Police and Hennepin County deputies identified and arrested 16 suspects in the attacks, two of which were juveniles and one was only 13 years old.