'Interrupted theft' led to stabbings at Macy's in Mall of America

Two men were stabbed in the Macy's store at the Mall of America on Sunday night in what Bloomington police described as "an interrupted theft."

The victims were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis; their injuries were not life-threatening, Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts said at a news briefing.

Police arrested a suspect, who was held by other shoppers after the assault. The suspect had minor injuries, Potts said.

The incident started about 6:45 p.m. in a fitting room of the men's department at Macy's. Two men were trying on clothes and walked out of the fitting room to show others in their group. The suspect went into the fitting room and tried to steal some of the men's belongings.

The suspect was interrupted by the men; he pulled a knife and stabbed the victims. Other shoppers who were with the victims got the knife away from the suspect and subdued him until police arrived, Potts said.

Potts said at 8:30 p.m. that the suspect had not been taken to the hospital. He characterized the man's injuries as "minor."

Kim Schwieters of Grant, Minn., was at the mall with her three children. They were just outside the Macy's entrance on the first level and went into Macy's as the commotion started.

"We saw two cops running toward Macy's," she said. "By the time we got to the main area — the men's department is to the right — more police started running in with their guns drawn.

"My daughter could see people lying on the ground who had been stabbed."

Schwieters said her daughter saw two people on the ground. The police yelled at everyone in the store to clear the area and then locked down the main level, she said.

She also talked to a man who may have seen the suspect before the stabbing.

"He saw the man walking through before, talking to himself, really really loudly talking to himself," she said. "Kind of drew attention to himself."

Another woman tweeted, "Just lived through the scariest experience of my life. I heard someone screaming 'He got me! He got me!' I knew something was not right. Some other shoppers ran toward the screaming, and someone (who I believe was the victim's brother) yelled '911!' I called the police and hid."

Most of the shops closed at 7 p.m. Sunday; some restaurants stayed open until 9 p.m.