Police negotiate end to standoff near Mall of America
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Police say they were able to negotiate an end to a standoff near the Mall of America on Friday evening.
According to police, a woman called around 4 p.m. to say a man in a white truck was in the parking lot at American Boulevard and 24th Avenue with a large gun. The woman said the man went inside 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 firearms in addition to the gun he was carrying with him, police say.
Around 6:15 p.m., negotiators were able to get the man to drop the shotgun. He retreated back to his car, but was eventually detained around 6:45 p.m.
Police say he was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, and he was not arrested.
"Especially with everything going on, I mean, there's shootings every day and you just don't know whats going to happen and so anxious thoughts in your mind just start to wander like 'oh my gosh, whats going to happen?' We're at Mall of America. It's a big place," said Annabel Morrisroe, who was taking her mother and cousins to the circus.
While they're happy to be safe, families were frustrated that their night out was ruined.
"It's just disappointing and heartbreaking to think that this kind of, like, everyday occurrence nowadays," added Morrisroe.
"Very disappointing that we have to deal with this situation. 'Cause it's a family event and some crazy person decides to ruin it all. But I hope everybody's going to be safe," said Tanya Shkuropat from Prior Lake.
The tent was evacuated, as well as a hotel across the street. The mall stayed open during the standoff, though shoppers were asked to stay away from the north parking lot.
There was what police are calling a youth fight inside the mall on Friday night, but it was broken up and no weapons were involved.
