Eight people have been injured and a suspect killed following stabbings at a shopping centre in St Cloud, Minnesota.
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He was eventually stopped when an off-duty police officer shot and killed him.
The stabbing started at about 8:00 p.m.at the Crossroads Mall.
Authorities say a man dressed as a security guard stabbed eight people and reportedly mentioned Allah and asked a victim if they were Muslim before attacking them.
Seven of the wounded were treated and released, while one victim remains hospitalized. The suspect was believed to be dead.
He said the suspect, who was armed with a knife and wearing a private security firm uniform, was known to police in St Cloud but only through minor driving offences.
The suspect had a history of minor traffic violations, Anderson said, adding that police do not now have reason to believe the attack was connected to any other incident. The mall remained closed Sunday.
The department released a statement saying that “the individual we believe to be responsible for the victim’s stab wounds is now deceased inside the mall”.
St. Cloud Police Sgt. Jason Burke said victims were transported to nearby hospitals, USA Today reported.
Carranza said police were checking identification and taking names of everyone as they were released from the mall.
The Amaq news agency claimed Sunday that the suspect had heeded the group’s calls for attacks in countries that are part of a US -led anti-IS coalition.
“Right now we don’t have any information that would indicate that anyone else is involved”, said Anderson.
A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that a second device that officers investigated four blocks from the scene appeared to be a pressure cooker attached to wiring and a cellphone.
An explosion rocked New York City’s bustling Chelsea district on Saturday, injuring 29 people in what authorities described as a deliberate, criminal act. Those who escaped say they only began running for exits when seeing a swarm of people screaming and running out. She later called and said she was safe in a secured area. “It’s really scary to think about and I’m … just thankful to be alive”.
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“I went closer to the mall entrance by J.C. Penney’s and I was looking at some jeans and all the sudden people were just running in chaos”, Bayne said.
