Gov. Walz ready to extradite suspects in Mall of America shooting
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Gov. Tim Walz on Friday announced he is prepared to immediately extradite suspects arrested in connection to a shooting at the Mall of America last week.
The suspects, Shamar Lark, 21, and Rashad May, 23, were arrested Thursday afternoon in Chicago and are awaiting extradition at the Cook County Jail in Illinois.
"Minnesotans deserve to know that people who commit brazen acts like the shooting at the Mall of America will be held accountable by Minnesota prosecutors and courts," said Walz.
Walz will coordinate the process with Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.
The interstate extradition process allows suspects who have fled the state to be returned when they have fled. Extradition also allows courts to hold suspects accountable.
"I will ensure that they will be held accountable for their actions, which endangered dozens if not hundreds of people at the Mall of America," said Freeman.
The incident began with a fight inside the store allegedly involving Lark and May. The complaint states that Lark and May briefly left the store before Lark returned and shot several times.
Both Lark and May fled the mall, and criminal charges filed allege that three people aided the men by helping them escape the area using a Best Western hotel shuttle bus.
No one was hurt in the shooting, which triggered panic among shoppers and led to a swift lockdown of the complex.