The Mall of America in Bloomington went into lockdown on Thursday afternoon after reports of shots fired outside the Nike store, Fox 9 reported.
"We are currently working an active incident inside Mall of America on the northwest side. Numerous officers are on scene," Bloomington Police announced.
The mall went into "lockdown."
"There is a confirmed isolated incident in a tenant space," the mall tweeted. "Please remain in the closest secure location until the lockdown has been lifted."
Inside the mall during the lockdown was Andy Paras, the news director at Fox 55 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Paras documented in a Twitter thread with multiple videos how a lockdown was announced, but did not actually happen as shoppers continued to enter the sprawling complex.
"People are still walking in. Just saw a family wheel a woman in on a wheelchair like nothing happening," Paras reported. "PA system still telling people to see shelter … people still walking in with no one stopping them."
After posting his thread, Paras wrote. "I’m letting local tv stations use video because I’ve been on the other end, but I’m not doing any interviews."
The lockdown was lifted.
Here is his thread.
\u201cCops with rifles taking position. Mall PA system telling people to take shelter. Meanwhile several people are walking in unaware of what\u2019s happening. #mallofamerica\u201d— Andy Paras (@Andy Paras) 1659648392
\u201cPA system still telling people to see shelter \u2026 people still walking in with no one stopping them #mallofamerica\u201d— Andy Paras (@Andy Paras) 1659648392
\u201cFor the record I was in the main atrium on first floor when I saw a couple panicky people run toward the exit, saw police officers run toward the amusement park and then saw a thousand people run toward me to exit. I did not hear gunshots.\u201d— Andy Paras (@Andy Paras) 1659648392
\u201cAs I typed that she just ran in to stop an unaware man from entering. He says he didn\u2019t realize it was closed. #mallofamerica\u201d— Andy Paras (@Andy Paras) 1659648392
About an hour later there is now a uniformed guard at the ground floor entrance of @mallofamerica #mallofamerica pic.twitter.com/3ZQvk4t4bd
— Andy Paras (@AndyParas) August 4, 2022
