ISIS claims responsibility for Minnesota mall stabbing spree
ST. CLOUD, Minnesota -- When a knife-wielding assailant began a violent rampage in the Crossroads Center mall over the weekend, off-duty police officer Jason Falconer, who just happened to be there, sprung into action.
St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said a security camera captured what happened next, reports CBS News’ Dean Reynolds.
“The officer fired. [The suspect] went down, he came back up again. Three times this took place before the officer had the blow that took him out.”
The assailant was identified as Dahir Adan, a 20-year-old naturlized American from Somalia who has been in this country since he was a baby.
Minnesota is home to 25,000 immigrants from Somalia, the largest Somali population in the country. Fears of radicalized youths haveincreased recently within the community.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, and called Adan a soldier of theirs -- a statement that baffled authorities here.
“I can’t think of a reason for most of what ISIS does to be honest with you. But as we talk today, I don’t have anything to make that connection,” the police chief said.
The investigation is proceeding, and Adan’s family is cooperating. But for now, the chief says this looks like the work of a lone attacker.