BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Police say they were able to negotiate an end to a standoff near the Mall of America on Friday night.
According to police, a woman called around 4 pm to say that a man in a white truck was in the parking lot of American Boulevard and 24th Avenue with a large gun. The woman said the man entered a circus tent in the lot and started walking around.
When police found him, they say he refused to put the gun on the ground. He was in crisis and had access to weapons in addition to the gun he carried with him, police said.
Around 6:15 p.m., negotiators got the man to drop the shotgun. He retreated back to his car, but eventually got stuck around 6:45 p.m
Police said he was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, and was not arrested.
“Especially with everything that’s going on, I mean, there are shootings every day and you don’t know what’s going to happen and the anxious thoughts in your mind just start wandering like ‘oh my gosh, what happen?’ We’re at the Mall of America. It’s a big place,” said Annabel Morrisroe, who brought her mother and cousins to the circus.
While they were happy to be safe, the families were disappointed that their night out was ruined.
“It’s frustrating and sad to think that this kind of, like, everyday occurrence now,” Morrisroe added.
“It’s very disappointing that we have to deal with this situation. ‘Cause it’s a family event and a crazy person decided to destroy it all. But I hope that everyone will be safe,” said Tanya Shkuropat from Prior Lake.
The tent was evacuated, as was a hotel across the street. The mall remained open during the standoff, although shoppers were asked to stay away from the north parking lot.
Police were called to a youth fight inside the mall on Friday night, but it broke up and no weapons were involved.