Eight people are injured and authorities are speculation on the motivations behind a stabbing spree at a Minnesota mall on Saturday night. The first attack occured at the St Cloud Crossroads Center around 8:15 PM according to The Guardian, with the suspects actions pointing many to connect this attack to Islamic extremism:
St Cloud police chief Blair Anderson said during a news conference shortly after midnight that eight people were taken to St Cloud hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the attack first reported about 8.15pm on Saturday. One person was admitted. No further details were released.
Anderson said an off-duty police officer from another jurisdiction shot and killed the unidentified suspect. He did not say where that officer serves.
During the news conference, Anderson said the attacker, who was armed with a knife, reportedly made references to Allah during the attack and asked at least one person whether they were Muslim.
St Cloud police chief Blair Anderson noted that any motivation was not clear during a press conference following the attack, saying that it was too soon to refer to this as an “act of terrorism” It highlights an eventful Saturday across the nation that includes the explosion in Chelsea, Manhattan and the pipe bomb explosion at a 5K in New Jersey.
(Via The Guardian)