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Officer Jason Falconer: The hero a Minnesota mall needed

President Barack Obama on Monday praised an off-duty police officer for saving lives when he shot dead the suspect in a stabbing attack at a Minnesota mall for which the radical group Islamic State claimed responsibility.

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“He looked just blank in the eyes like he wasn’t even there”, Schliep said shortly before being released from a St. Cloud hospital.

“He clearly prevented additional injuries and potential loss of life”, Anderson said.

People stand near the entrance on the north side of Crossroads Center mall between Macy’s and Target as officials investigate a reported multiple stabbing incident, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in St. Cloud, Minn. Po.

A news agency linked to the Islamic State terrorist group has claimed credit for the attack.

St. Cloud police say that while they were reviewing security footage as part of their investigation into Saturday’s stabbing at Crossroads Center mall, they found another man had been hurt. In describing the moment, Kleis said Adan had a knife in his hand when he lunged at Falconer.

The stabbing coincided with a bombing in Manhattan that injured 29 people on Saturday, and the discovery of five more bombs near a train station in New Jersey late Sunday night.

KARE 11 reporter Heidi Wigdahl spoke with Shye Makarrall who hid inside a store.

“One was covered in blood down his face”, she said, and the other man had blood on his back.

Ahmed Adan, who is Somali, says his son came to the USA 15 years ago and was was a student at St. Cloud Technical and Community College. “He, too, is a victim in this situation”. At first I didn’t know what to think.

The couple escaped unharmed and said they helped another woman who was running from the scene to her auto.

Anxious relatives of shoppers gathered near the scene. Authorities said Sunday he wasn’t a current mall employee.

“My brother and I have always been really close. I want to make sure he’s OK and give him a hug”, Anthony Bellow said.

In 2013, CAIR called on police in nearby Waite Park to reject a training program about Somalis because a flier unfairly suggested the activities of al-Shabab – a militant group in east Africa that has had success in recruiting Somali-Americans in Minnesota – are supported by most Muslims. They later moved up to the registers, he said. Adan went to a central Minnesota mall and cut or st.

“The picture I have about him does not reflect what he is being accused of”, he said.

Samuels remained outside, watching for her.

Alimad said he saw Adan in a different picture.

People are starting to leave the mall. Police are asking for photo ID before they leave. “Her friend called to let us know they were OK; they are on lockdown”, she said.

Adan was previously enrolled at St. Cloud State University, but was not enrolled this semester.

Falconer was in the mall shopping, and happened to be in “right place at the right time”, St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said.

(St. Cloud Times/Jason Wachter via AP). “St. Cloud is filled with hard-working, right-thinking, decent people – and we’re going to be stronger because of this”, he said.

“I am appalled at the awful attacks on innocent Minnesotans in St. Cloud last night”.

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Dayton says the president told him to convey his “deep appreciation” for the work of investigators and the police officer who stopped the attacker.

St. Cloud Minn. Police Chief William Blair Anderson and other officials hold a press conference Sunday Sept. 18 2016 giving updated information on the Crossroads Center incident at the St. Cloud Police Department