Police arrest 19-year-old in Mall of America shooting

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Authorities on Monday said police in Minnesota arrested a 19-year-old man in connection to the Friday shooting at the Mall of America that left two people injured.

The Bloomington Police Department said in a press release that its SWAT team arrested Latrell Avonte Littles at about 4:50 p.m. Sunday in the 2300 block of Cleveland Avenue North in the city of Roseville, a Twin Cities suburb.

Authorities said Little was arrested on possible charges of aiding and abetting first-degree assault as he was identified leaving the scene of the shooting in the company of the suspect.

The shooting occurred at about 5 p.m. Friday with officers arriving on the scene to find two men wounded, one who was shot in the leg and was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center while the other victim was released after being treated by paramedics.

"The victim and the suspect in this investigation appear to have had past contacts and this was not a random assault," the department said. "This case continues to be actively investigated."

The mall was put under a short lockdown, but was deemed secure by police less than an hour later.

Mall of America confirmed the shooting on its Twitter account, thanking all those who followed security guidance during the lockdown and stating it was to reopen Saturday at 10 a.m.

Littles has since been transported to the Bloomington Police Department for booking and is being held pending possible charges by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, authorities said.