MN: Crossroads Mall is a Gun Free, Weapons Free Zone

The mass stabbings that occurred at the Crossroads Center (Crossroads Mall) in St.  Cloud occurred in a gun free, weapon free zone.  It appears that the armed citizen who stopped the attack was not allowed to legally be armed in the mall.  The armed citizen was an off duty officer from another jurisdiction.

From crossroadscenter.com:

Examples of specific activities that are prohibited include but are not limited to: 

• Disruptive profanity, vulgar or threatening language 
• Unnecessarily blocking walkways, roadways or storefronts 
• Running, horseplay or disorderly conduct of any nature
• Excessive loitering 
• Operating unauthorized recreational and/or personal transportation devices in the shopping center 
• No firearms or illegal weapons

The mall is a privately owned property. Guests who do not act responsibly may be asked to leave. If they refuse to leave the property, they may be arrested and prosecuted for criminal trespass.

The policy does not make any exceptions for off duty police officers.  As a privately owned property, the Mall may exclude off duty officers as they are not acting in an official capacity. 

Ironically, early reports state that the attacker was dressed in a security guard uniform.  From sctimes.com:

Eight people were injured and the suspect died at Crossroads Center on Saturday after an attack reported about 8:15 p.m.

St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said the victims were stabbed by a man dressed in a private security uniform.

An off-duty police officer from another jurisdiction shot and killed the attacker, Anderson said. Anderson did not say where that officer serves during the news conference that started after midnight. 

It became a common tactic for Islamic terrorists to dress as police or in the uniform of Iraqi soldiers in order to facilitate terror attacks.  It appears likely that this was another Islamic terror attack. From kstp.com:

“At approximately 8 p.m., an armed suspect entered the Crossroads Mall. That individual made some references to Allah and we confirmed that he asked at least one person if they were Muslim before assaulting them,” said St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson.

I doubt that the mall will pursue legal sanctions against the armed citizen who stopped the attack.

They are fortunate that the officer chose to ignore the mall rules that required people to be disarmed. The rules did not dissuade the attacker.

 
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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