Police investigating string of weekend South Side robberies in Minneapolis

Minneapolis police are investigating six robberies or attempts — including one in which a 74-year-old man was held up in broad daylight on a busy city street — that were carried out over the weekend in the Phillips and Powderhorn sections of south Minneapolis.

A seventh robbery occurred early Saturday in the Armatage neighborhood in the southwest, police said.

In that incident, which occurred about 6:30 a.m. in the 5600 block of S. Fremont Avenue, a 39-year-old construction worker was confronted by two men when he showed up for work at a vacant home under renovation. Police said the suspects assaulted and robbed him before fleeing on foot.

Police said that what followed was an approximately 36-hour span, starting midday Saturday, during which six people were robbed in several adjoining neighborhoods.

It's unclear whether any of the robberies were related.

The most recent occurred Sunday night near the corner of E. 32nd Street and S. Columbus Avenue.

A man was held up by a knife-wielding suspect who slashed him across the chest before fleeing, according to an incident report.

The previous night, about 11:42 p.m., a Papa John's delivery driver was robbed by four men while making a delivery.

In another attack that occurred about 10 p.m. Saturday, a man told police he was robbed at gunpoint by three male suspects, one of whom he recognized.

One of the suspects punched the victim and pointed a black handgun at him, the man told investigators.

The victim declined treatment at the scene, which was around the corner from Peavey Park, where only a few nights before a 54-year-old man was held up.

About 3:20 p.m. the same day, about four blocks away, a 74-year-old man was robbed while walking in the 1200 block of E. Franklin Avenue, police said.

Both suspected robbers had on dark-colored pants, police said.

One of the men shot the 31-year-old victim in the thigh, and he was later taken to a hospital with noncritical injuries.

Earlier that day, police say, another man was robbed in the 2300 block of E. Lake Street.