Three Twin Cities men appeared in a Bloomington courtroom Wednesday afternoon on felony weapons charges after mall security reported that guns were drawn during a chaotic altercation inside the Macy’s at Mall of America. The confrontation, which authorities say involved more than a dozen men, unfolded on September 4 and ended with security staff fleeing the area to call 911.
According to KARE 11, 21-year-old Abdihakim Mohamoud, 21-year-old Samatar Abdisalam, and 20-year-old Abdifatah Douled were each charged with one count of second-degree riot armed with a dangerous weapon. Mall security first heard a heated exchange between two groups of young men, then became concerned the dispute would turn physical before guns were drawn, prosecutors said. Surveillance images allegedly showed Mohamoud and Douled holding firearms during the encounter.
Police arrested the three men inside the mall, and officers later recovered another handgun in Abdisalam’s vehicle, per the same report. A fourth man was accused in the criminal complaint but has not faced formal charges. Bloomington police say they will release more information as the investigation progresses.
Valid Permits, But Charges Still Filed
Bloomington police say the three charged men held valid permits to carry firearms, a detail that underscores a legal wrinkle unique to Minnesota. Under Minnesota Statute § 624.714, private property owners like Mall of America can ask that firearms not be brought onto their premises, but carrying a weapon past posted signs with a valid permit is not automatically a crime — a permit holder must first refuse a direct order to leave before facing a petty misdemeanor trespass violation, according to the Giffords Law Center…