TWO people were shot in Minnesota’s Mall of America Friday evening, and police are searching for gunman.
Bloomington police said that the scene was secured around 6 p.m. – about an hour after the shooting started – and the victims suffered non life-threatening injuries.
“We are on scene of a shooting incident at (Mall of America),” police said in statement. “Two injured with non life threatening injuries. We are no longer looking for the suspect at the MOA.”
Andrew, who was in the mall at the time of the shooting, told The Sun that he was in a restaurant on the opposite side of the mall from where the shooting reportedly happened but same floor.
“We saw people running outside the restaurant and then one of the employees shuttered the gate,” he said.
“We’ve heard a few announcements and buzzers since then but we’re not getting regular updates. I suspect that the restaurant employees aren’t either. I saw on Twitter that the suspect fled so we’re just waiting for further updates.”
The mall went on lockdown for about an hour. Around 6 p.m. local time, Andrew told The Sun that they’re allowed to move around again.
Minnesota Public Radio reporter Tim Nelson, who’s on scene, tweeted, “Security is telling @mallofamerica patrons the mall is closing, in wake of reported shooting. Telling everyone to leave at request of Bloomington police.”
Other New Year’s Eve shoppers have taken to Twitter to say they’ve been told to shelter-in-place and posted pictures of people locked in stores and shared videos of police and first responders running into the mall.
One person said on Twitter, “And Mall of America is on lockdown and now I’m in the back of a Sephora.”
Another Tweet simply said, “I am stuck at #mallofamerica. We are scared to death.”
More to follow…
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