| Local reports say a gunman is still on the loose. Four are believed dead and several more wounded. Saint Cloud Times is reporting: A major police presence is responding to the Crossroads Center mall tonight after an incident that was reported about 8:30 p.m. Given the previous attack around the nation, today; some are raising the concern of a coordinated terror effort. Saint Cloud is not known to be a particularly violent town. The college town is home to an increasingly diverse ethnicity, due to an aggressive state policy of welcoming refugee populations. Officers from St. Cloud, Waite Park, Cold Spring and the Minnesota State Patrol, as well as Gold Cross ambulance and St. Cloud Fire Department crews are on the scene. |  Crossroads Mall, S. Cloud, MN - Google image |
Read the full report and updates at St. Cloud Times
Shortly before 9 p.m., a St. Cloud police officer with an assault rifle could be seen near the west entrance of Macy’s. Other officers were searching shrubbery near the mall with flashlights, according to Times staffers on the scene. Unofficial reports from the scene say there may be multiple gunshot and stabbing victims. Several dozen people can be seen standing outside the mall.
Shortly before 9 p.m., a St. Cloud police officer with an assault rifle could be seen near the west entrance of Macy’s. Other officers were searching shrubbery near the mall with flashlights, according to Times staffers on the scene. Unofficial reports from the scene say there may be multiple gunshot and stabbing victims. Several dozen people can be seen standing outside the mall.
Update:
A major police presence is responding to the Crossroads Center mall tonight after an incident that was reported about 8:30 p.m.
Officers from St. Cloud, Waite Park, Cold Spring and the Minnesota State Patrol, as well as Gold Cross ambulance and St. Cloud Fire Department crews are on the scene.
St. Cloud Police Sgt. Jason Burke told the Times that a stabbing report started the incident. He said there are multiple confirmed victims and police believe the suspect is dead.
Shortly before 9 p.m., a St. Cloud police officer with an assault rifle could be seen near the west entrance of Macy’s. Other officers were searching shrubbery near the mall with flashlights, according to Times staffers on the scene.
Unofficial reports from the scene say there may be multiple gunshot and stabbing victims.
Harley and Tama Exsted of Isle, who were in St. Cloud to watch their son play in a college golf tournament at Blackberry Ridge, were in the mall when the incident occurred.
"All of a sudden I heard pop pop pop," Harley said. "I thought someone tipped over a shelf. All of a sudden these people started running. I just saw everybody running our way."
The couple escaped unharmed and said they helped another woman who was running from the scene to her car.
Desi Spoden, 52, of Sauk Rapids and her husband were in the parking lot awaiting word from their 17-year-old daughter, Katy, who was inside the mall at Lady Foot Locker. They raced to the scene after hearing about the incident.
Desi Spoden said her daughter's friend reached her to let know they were OK. "Her friend called to let us know they were OK; they are on lockdown," she said.
The SCTimes now add the following dialogue:
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Officers from St. Cloud, Waite Park, Cold Spring and the Minnesota State Patrol, as well as Gold Cross ambulance and St. Cloud Fire Department crews are on the scene.
St. Cloud Police Sgt. Jason Burke told the Times that a stabbing report started the incident. He said there are multiple confirmed victims and police believe the suspect is dead.
Shortly before 9 p.m., a St. Cloud police officer with an assault rifle could be seen near the west entrance of Macy’s. Other officers were searching shrubbery near the mall with flashlights, according to Times staffers on the scene.
Unofficial reports from the scene say there may be multiple gunshot and stabbing victims.
Harley and Tama Exsted of Isle, who were in St. Cloud to watch their son play in a college golf tournament at Blackberry Ridge, were in the mall when the incident occurred.
"All of a sudden I heard pop pop pop," Harley said. "I thought someone tipped over a shelf. All of a sudden these people started running. I just saw everybody running our way."
The couple escaped unharmed and said they helped another woman who was running from the scene to her car.
Desi Spoden, 52, of Sauk Rapids and her husband were in the parking lot awaiting word from their 17-year-old daughter, Katy, who was inside the mall at Lady Foot Locker. They raced to the scene after hearing about the incident.
Desi Spoden said her daughter's friend reached her to let know they were OK. "Her friend called to let us know they were OK; they are on lockdown," she said.
The SCTimes now add the following dialogue:
"
| David Unze (@sctimesunze) of the SCTimes tweeted: St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson confirms: Crossroads stabbing suspect dead, multiple victims at ER. Unze now confirms that the attacker is dead. several others wounded. site contained and seriousness of wounds is not known (10:24pm, 9/17/16) Update: 11pm David Unze - St. Cloud Times 10 minutes ago Per St. Cloud Hospital communications: 8 stabbing victims came to hospital. Only 1 admitted. The rest treated and released. (I spent half of last week in this city. I went to college there when I was 18 Unze also is seeking confirmation that a civilian with a CC permit took out the perpetrator. The attacker entered the mall and began stabbing people in the head, according to reports at the scene - David Van Risseghem, SoonerPolitics) |  |
