Mall of America now using shot detection sensors
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The Mall of America has officially installed shot detection technology in its latest move to improve security measures.
The mall already uses facial recognition to scan for people of interest and has experimented with metal detectors.
Bloomington police say the new technology will immediately alert them to critical incidents and support lockdown procedures. The city is contributing more than $1 million to help pay for the upgrade.
Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges previously told WCCO that the department supports adding the technology to help them "apprehend criminals sooner than if it had not been used."
The vendor for the shot sensors, AmberBox, says its technology can detect gunshots and notify authorities in less than four seconds. The detector is supposed to accurately pinpoint where the gunshots came from within 60 feet and can detect shots through walls, according to AmberBox's website.
"At Mall of America, we continuously evolve our security strategy to ensure the safety of our guests, tenants, and team members," a mall spokesperson said in a statement. "We have an incredibly unique property, which is why we're taking an industry leading approach to protecting it."
The new security measures come after gunfire erupted inside the mall on Christmas Eve in 2022, killing a teenager. Two people were sentenced to decades in prison for the killing.