US authorities have so far resisted calling a stabbing attack at a Minnesota mall terrorism although the attacker reportedly made references to “Allah” during his rampage.
A man stabbed and wounded eight people during an attack at the Crossroads Center shopping mall in Minnesota on Saturday while making “references to Allah,” before being shot dead by an off-duty police officer.
St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said that the victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The attacker was armed with a knife and wearing a private security firm uniform at the time of the attack.
The stabbings occurred in several places within the mall. “The entire mall is an active crime scene,” Anderson said.
Anderson said the suspect made several “references to Allah” during the attack and asked at least one person whether he was Muslim, but declined to call the attacks an act of terrorism.
He said the motive for the attack is not known yet. “We will be diligent and get to the bottom of this,” Anderson said. “Starting tomorrow, things won’t be the same here.”
The attacker has a police record with mostly minor traffic violations.
The police say there are no other suspects involved.
St. Cloud is about 70 miles (112.65 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis.
By: World Israel News Staff
AP contributed to this report.