Bloomington police arrested five people over the weekend in connection with the death of 19-year-old Johntae Hudson.
Less than a week after a 19-year-old man was killed at a Nordstrom store at the Mall of America, authorities are preparing to file formal charges in the fatal shooting.
The Hennepin County District Attorney’s Office is expected to file charges Wednesday afternoon, according to Bloomington police.
A day after the Friday, Dec. 23 shooting, Bloomington police announced they have arrested five people in connection with the death of Johntae Hudson — two 18-year-olds and three 17-year-olds.
Investigators found a fight between two groups at the mall Friday night and believe Hudson, of St. Paul, was among the young men involved in the fight. Video surveillance showed about five to nine people getting into a fistfight before one man pulled out a gun and opened fire, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said. Hudson was shot multiple times.
His sister, Ja’Nayea Hudson, 22, said Johntae went to the mall that night to buy a new sweater for a friend’s birthday party.
“He came into my room yesterday to say hi to me and my son and then he left,” Hudson said. “He was funny, sometimes quiet, like everybody loved him. He was a people person, he was trying to get his place and apply to college.”
A GoFundMe set up to help pay for funeral expenses and other expenses had raised more than $10,000 as of Wednesday morning.
The Mall of America was quickly closed after the shooting. The MOA first tweeted that the building was on lockdown around 8:30 p.m., then announced that it had been lifted shortly after 9 p.m.
December 23 The shooting was the third at the mall in the past year. in 2022 on August 4, after a fight broke out between two groups of people, several shots were fired inside a Nike store. No one was injured, but the shooting threw much of the mall into chaos and prompted a two-hour lockdown.
in 2021 in December, two people were shot at a mall on New Year’s Eve: one person was shot in the leg and another, believed to be a bystander, was shot.
In October, the Mall of America announced it was beefing up security efforts and exploring different strategies after the two shootings, including testing screening systems at the north entrance.
In response to the latest shooting, a MOA spokesman reiterated that the mall is “significantly increasing its security and police presence, as well as random bag checks at entrances.”
“Our security team is working very closely with the Bloomington Police on site. The mall has industry-leading programs and practices with an extensive camera system and a well-trained security department with specialized units including K9s, bike patrols and plainclothes officers,” he said. the statement continues. “Mall of America is a unique property, and we take the safety of our guests, team members and tenants very seriously.
When asked if Bloomington police would increase their department’s presence at the MOA in response to the latest shooting, BPD said in a statement, “The Police Department is not changing any protocols regarding our presence at the Mall of America. As the mall is a private business, they should be asked about any security changes.
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