Police say that a 19-year-old man was shot and killed during a fight at the Mall of America in Minnesota on Friday night.
At a press conference, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said that the teen was shot “multiple times” while two separate groups were fighting on the first floor of Nordstrom just before 8 p.m.
There were between five and nine people in the fight, and one of the men pulled out a gun and started shooting. Hodges said that the whole fight lasted about 30 seconds. Hodges said that the two groups then ran out of a nearby door.
The victim hasn’t been named by the police yet.
Jovon Patton, a gospel singer from North Minneapolis, was in the store at the time of the shooting. Just seconds before the shots went off, the artist started filming an Instagram reel inside one of the stores. In the video, you can hear at least one gunshot before Patton, his wife, and other customers run into the back room of the safety store.
Latest News
- Big Scarr Death: American Rapper Passes Away At 22
- Charlbi Dean Cause Of Death Revealed After Sudden Passing At 32
“They were fighting physically, and then one of them pulled out a gun and said they were going to kill someone in the store,” Hodges said with anger.
Hodges said that one of the bullets just missed a bystander, but that her jacket took all the damage.
Hodges didn’t say if any weapons had been found or not. The shots were fired by one of the 16 police officers who were at the mall on Friday night.
Mall of America is now lifting lockdown. Guests should now exit the property. Mall of America remains closed for the evening. Please stay tuned for an additional statement.
— Mall of America (@mallofamerica) December 24, 2022
Bloomington Police kept the mall locked for more than an hour while ensuring it was safe before letting people leave.
The police chief asked those involved or who knew something to come forward. “This is completely stupid. I can’t even come up with another word. “This is just plain stupid,” said Hodges, who looked angry.
He said that police are looking at security footage to find out who the suspects are.
“I’m sure we’ll be able to catch these people. And we’ll put them in jail,” Hodges said.
Stay connected to our website NogMagazine.com for more news.