Brooklyn Park Police Arrest Suspect in Child Sexual Assault
Brooklyn Park Police Announce Arrest of Child Assault Suspect
Brooklyn Park police have arrested a man who they believe sexually assaulted a 6-year-old child at a city park. The reported assault happened Wednesday at 9 p.m. at Willowstone Park, located at 1909 95th Avenue North. Police announced the arrest Friday morning.
The suspect is identified as Jonah Canny, 18, who police say lives near the park. Canny was arrested just after 10 a.m. at his home.
“During the arrest the suspect was not cooperative and there was a struggle between the police and the suspect,” said Mark Bruley, deputy police chief for the city of Brooklyn Park. Neither the suspect or police were injured in the struggle, Bruley said.
According to police, the child’s family was having a party at the park pavilion when they discovered the 6-year-old child was missing. A family member then located the child coming out of a portable restroom followed by a man the family described as “a complete stranger,” police said. The man left the park and the family learned he sexually assaulted the child inside the portable restroom. The family then reported the incident to police.
A Very Specific Tip
On Thursday night after police released a suspect description, they received a very specific tip.
“They knew the individual was at the park at the time this crime occurred, that they matched the description,” said Bruley.
The crime shook the neighborhood where the crime occurred, which is near the Mississippi River in the northeast part of the city.
“As a father, I was shaken,” said Bruley. “This is a horrific crime.”
So far, police are not aware of any similar crimes that have occurred at the park. Police do want other families to come forward if they suspect such a crime may have occurred at the park involving their child.
Jonah Canny/credit Hennepin County Jail
No Previous Criminal Sexual Conduct History, But Accusations
Canny had no previous charges of criminal sexual conduct. However, Bruley said detectives were made aware of previous accusations of criminal sexual crimes against him.
It’s uncertain how the child ended up in the restroom with the suspect. Bruley was uncertain whether the child was lured or if the suspect followed the child. Police are using child trauma experts to sort out how it happened.
Brooklyn Park police expect Canny to be formally charged on Tuesday. He is being held in jail on possible first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges and for resisting arrest.
