Local, state and federal investigators joined the search after police linked two reported attacks in nearby neighborhoods.
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — A wide-ranging search involving neighborhood canvasses, a specialized task force and several law enforcement agencies ended Wednesday evening with the arrest of a man suspected in two armed home invasions and sexual assaults.
Brooklyn Park police said SWAT officers and detectives arrested the 25-year-old man around 6 p.m. while executing a search warrant in the 7600 block of Hampshire Avenue North. The arrest came about 12 hours after officers responded to the week’s second reported attack.
Investigators had spent Wednesday searching roughly 40 blocks and knocking on doors as they sought information from residents. Police also asked people to review home-surveillance recordings for activity that might help identify or locate the person responsible.
The operation began after officers were called to the 7500 block of Jersey Avenue North about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police said a man had entered a residence through an unlocked door about an hour earlier and sexually assaulted a woman before leaving the area.
Investigators linked that report to a July 17 home invasion in the 7600 block of Hampshire Avenue North. In the earlier case, police said an armed man entered a home around 5 a.m., confronted a woman, demanded money and sexually assaulted her before fleeing.
The two locations are only blocks apart. Police said the assailant had his face covered and was armed during the reported attacks. Authorities also said the doors used to enter both homes were likely unlocked.
As the search intensified Wednesday, the Police Department formed a task force that included Brooklyn Park officers, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and federal law enforcement personnel. Police Chief Mark Bruley said such rapid coordination was uncommon but had already produced significant progress.
Before officers announced the arrest, Bruley said investigators would continue pursuing every available lead. Police had urged residents to remain alert while the suspect was at large and asked community members to share information that could help detectives.
The department has not said what evidence led investigators to the Hampshire Avenue residence where the arrest occurred. Authorities also have not disclosed whether items were seized during the search or whether additional suspects are being investigated.
Bruley said the person arrested had a history of criminal activity in Brooklyn Park and had been released from prison July 7. Police said the man had previous Minnesota convictions involving assault and weapons offenses. Those earlier convictions do not prove the new allegations.
The suspect remained in the Hennepin County Jail pending a decision on criminal charges. Police had not released his name by late Wednesday, and the investigation remained active. The allegations have not been proved in court.
Author note: Last updated July 23, 2026.