Police said the 25-year-old suspect was taken into custody hours after the second reported armed home invasion.
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — Police arrested a 25-year-old man Wednesday evening in connection with two armed home invasions and sexual assaults reported less than a week apart in Brooklyn Park.
The suspect was taken into custody about 6 p.m. as the city’s SWAT team and detectives carried out a search warrant in the 7600 block of Hampshire Avenue North, police said. His name had not been released, and prosecutors had not filed charges as of late Wednesday.
The arrest followed a report early Wednesday from the 7500 block of Jersey Avenue North. Officers arrived about 6:30 a.m. and learned that a man had entered a home through an unlocked door roughly an hour earlier, police said. The man was accused of sexually assaulting a woman before fleeing.
Investigators said they believed the Wednesday attack was connected to another home invasion reported July 17 in the 7600 block of Hampshire Avenue North, only a few blocks away. In that case, police said an armed man entered a woman’s home around 5 a.m., demanded money and sexually assaulted her.
The women were not identified. Police have not released additional information about them, following standard practices intended to protect the privacy of people who report sexual assault.
Before the arrest, investigators said the assailant appeared to have entered both homes through doors that were likely unlocked. Police described the cases as separate armed home invasions carried out by the same person, though that allegation has not been tested in court.
Police launched an intensive search after Wednesday’s report. Officers canvassed about 40 blocks and went door to door seeking information, surveillance video and other possible evidence. The department also formed a task force with assistance from state, county and federal agencies.
Police Chief Mark Bruley said before the arrest that the rapid cooperation among agencies had helped investigators make progress. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office were among the agencies involved in the operation.
Bruley said the man arrested had previously committed crimes in Brooklyn Park and had been released from prison July 7. Publicly available details provided by police showed previous Minnesota convictions involving assault and weapons offenses, but authorities did not explain how those cases might relate to the current investigation.
The suspect was being held in the Hennepin County Jail while detectives continued gathering evidence. Any charging decision would be made by prosecutors after reviewing the investigation. An arrest does not establish guilt, and the allegations must be proved in court.
Author note: Last updated July 23, 2026.