Police negotiate end to standoff near Mall of America

Bloomington, Minnesota — Police say they were able to negotiate an end to a standoff near the Mall of America on Friday night.

Around 4 p.m., a woman called a man in a white truck with a large gun in a parking lot on American Boulevard and 24th Street, police said. The woman said the man entered a circus tent on the property and walked around.

When police find him, they say he refused to put the gun on the ground. says the police.

At about 6:15 p.m., negotiators were able to get the man to drop the shotgun.He returned to his car but was eventually detained around 6:45 p.m.

Police say he was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center and was not arrested.

“Especially with everything going on, there’s shooting every day and you never know what’s going to happen, and anxious thoughts start to wander in your mind. We’re at the Mall of America. It’s a big place.” .

While the family was happy to be safe, they were frustrated that their night out had been ruined.

“It’s disappointing and heartbreaking to think that something like this happens on a daily basis,” Morrislow said.

“I am very sorry to have to deal with this situation because it was a family event and some crazy person decided to ruin everything. But everyone is safe.” I hope that

The tent was evacuated, and the hotel across the street was also evacuated. Shoppers were asked to stay clear of the north parking lot, but the mall remained open.

There was what police called a youth brawl inside the mall on Friday night, but it broke up and no weapons were involved.