• 

Less than two days before Christmas, a shooting that left a 19-year-old male dead forced the Mall of America to go into lockdown on Friday night.

Officers heard gunshots on Nordstrom's first floor around 7:50 pm, according to Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges. At the time of the shooting, 16 cops were stationed inside the mall.

There may have been a physical altercation involving 5 to 9 people before the gunshots, as per Hodges.

No one has been detained by the police in relation to the incident.

"This is just flat-out stupid," Hodges said. "We are going to catch you [the suspects], we're going to lock you up."

Chief Hodges speaking now. Says around 7:50, officer heard gunshots in first floor of Nordstrom at @mallofamerica. 19 year old Male was shot multiple times and died on scene. @WCCO pic.twitter.com/Y47rsD4Ord

— Allen Henry (@AllenWCCO) December 24, 2022

Social media videos showcased customers hiding inside establishments. In some films, consumers can be seen rushing for cover after hearing a huge blast. One spectator had a bullet graze his coat.

Just left the Mall of America. Was on lockdown for over an hour and a half due to a shooting inside the mall. Can’t even go Christmas shopping without worried about getting shot. Welcome to Minnesota 😪 #mallofamerica #lockdown #shooting pic.twitter.com/zPaBONilRa

— Taylor (@tayjayy451) December 24, 2022

This is the second time this year that the Mall of America has been placed under lockdown; in August, gunshots outside the Nike store caused one.

Guns are not permitted within the mall, however, there are no metal detectors at the entrances. In October, it started a month-long trial run of a "weapons detecting system" at its north gate.

The mall announced that it will reopen on Saturday at 10 am.

"I really feel the family, the mom, the dad, the other relatives the mayor and I spoke to before coming out here--they're in pain, and rightfully so, for something that should not have happened," said Hodges.

The following statement was issued by the Mall of America: "Just before 8 p.m. this evening, Bloomington Police Department responded to a shooting contained in a tenant space. As a result, Mall of America was put into lockdown. The lockdown has since been lifted. The Mall is now closed for the evening."

It is worth noting that 2022 is likely to be the second-highest year for mass shootings in the United States on record, as per data provided by the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit that tracks gun violence incidents across the nation.