MINNEAPOLIS — Four children in a stolen vehicle were shot early Sunday in north Minneapolis, police said.

At around 1 a.m., police received a 911 call about a shooting in the 1400 block of Plymouth Avenue North.

According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, five minors were in a stolen Kia. According to the police chief, a sedan began chasing the stolen Kia and firing at it with a fully automatic weapon. Four of the minors were shot – two boys and two girls between the ages of 11 and 14.

One girl was shot in the head and is in critical condition. The other three suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

“The fact that four children between the ages of 11 and 14 were shot is outrageous,” O’Hara said. “And everyone should be up in arms about it.”

The chief said the fifth minor had been arrested.

O’Hara also said that two of the five minors in the car were arrested less than two weeks ago. He said more needs to be done to prevent such crimes.

“If we fail to stop this behavior, we are failing these children,” O’Hara said.

Brian Herron, pastor of Zion Baptist Church, is actively working on this project. Herron said he was “devastated” by what happened.

“It breaks my heart,” he said, “that our children in our community are experiencing and participating in such violence.”

Herron tells WCCO he works with youth on the streets to combat such violence, but he would like to see a stronger concerted effort to reach troubled families at the root of the problem.

“I’m not judging parents. I’m just saying parents need to be parents,” he said. “And if they need help, let’s give them the help they need.”

The pastor said he knows about this group of children and is actively trying to help them. He says this is a problem that needs to be addressed.

“Although it is a blow and devastating, it should inspire us to do more. To do more to save our children,” Herron said.