Mall of America, one of the largest malls in the United States has become a victim of yet another hate crime. There was an apparent fight between two groups of people post and one of them pulled a handgun and started firing.
Lockdown Lifted in Mall of America
Mall of America based in Minnesota was under lockdown when a fatal shooting incident occurred. The shooting claimed the life of a 19-year-old teenager.
As per reliable sources, the incident lasted for approximately 30 seconds but it was enough to cause havoc in the entire mall. Cops were called, the media reached, and the security personnel was put on high alert.
Mall of America immediately took to its Twitter account and posted about the incident. The post read that the people who were inside the mall should find a safe place to hide until the lockdown gets lifted.
After an hour or so, it again posted that the lockdown has been lifted, giving the customers a sigh of relief. It further requests the people to exit the mall as soon as possible as it will remain closed for the evening.
This extreme situation created terror among the customers along with the people who live in proximity to the mall.
Security Measures to be Solidified in the Mall of America
After this heinous incident, the security systems deployed inside the mall requires to be boosted, claimed the investigators.
Even though guns and other such weapons are banned inside the premises, metal detectors have still not been installed.
Without metal detectors, it is not possible for the mall authorities to determine if visitors are carrying any armed weapons with them.
It is worth noting that a similar incident occurred in this mall in August 2022. But luckily no one was injured in that stray shooting.
With the increasing prevalence of such incidents, malls and other public spaces across the United States need to adopt stringent safety measures.
Also read: Couple Pleads Guilty for Attempted Murder in Waltham Forest in June
