Newly filed charges allege that a 28-year-old gunman robbed two Mall of America stores one day last week shortly after pulling off the same crime at a Minneapolis pawnshop.
Cartier T. Alexander of Woodbury was charged Monday in Hennepin County District Court with three counts of first-degree aggravated robbery in connection with the holdups Friday of a sports apparel shop and a kiosk retailer at the Mall of America as well as Twin Cities Pawn on E. Lake Street in Minneapolis.
Alexander remains jailed in lieu of $100,000 ahead of a court appearance Tuesday. Court records do not list an attorney for him.
According to the charges and other court documents:
Mall security apprehended Alexander and seized a loaded rifle from him. Police arrived and recovered a bag with athletic jerseys taken from Lids on the third floor.
Two Lids employees said Alexander never pointed the rifle at them but did put it on the counter momentarily. He ordered them to put jerseys in a bag, and he left without paying.
"The employees were extremely fearful of [Alexander]," the charges read. "One employee stated that he had a child to think about and so he felt that he had to do whatever [the gunman] told him to do."
Mall security told police that Alexander also robbed a kiosk in much the same fashion. The charges did not specify which kiosk was targeted, but another court document said he stole a stuffed toy.
