Man arrested after allegedly throwing child from third floor Mall of America balcony
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – A 5-year-old child suffered significant injuries Friday after witnesses say a man either threw or pushed the child from the third floor of the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, according to local police.
Bloomington Chief of Police Jeff Potts told reporters Friday that police were called to the Mall of America at 10:17 a.m. local time, and initial information suggested a child had fallen from the third level of the mall’s interior to the first level.
Additional information from witnesses indicated the 5-year-old might have been pushed or thrown, Potts said.
Police officers gave the child first aid along with witnesses, Potts said.
“The child did suffer significant injuries,” he said. “The child has been transported to the hospital and has been receiving care.”
According to Potts, witnesses told police the person suspected of pushing or throwing the child “took off running immediately after the incident.” The suspect, a 24-year-old man was soon found inside the mall and was taken into custody.
He’s currently at the Bloomington Police Department, Potts said, and authorities don’t believe there is any further threat to the public.
“At this time, we do not believe that there is a relationship between the child or the family of the child,” Potts said, emphasizing that police believe this to be an “isolated incident.”
The area where the fall occurred has been closed.