Three Twin Cities men appeared in a Bloomington courtroom Wednesday afternoon on felony weapons charges after mall security reported that guns were drawn during a chaotic altercation inside the Macy's at Mall of America. The confrontation, which authorities say involved more than a dozen men, unfolded on September 4 and ended with security staff fleeing the area to call 911.
According to KARE 11, 21-year-old Abdihakim Mohamoud, 21-year-old Samatar Abdisalam, and 20-year-old Abdifatah Douled were each charged with one count of second-degree riot armed with a dangerous weapon. Mall security first heard a heated exchange between two groups of young men, then became concerned the dispute would turn physical before guns were drawn, prosecutors said. Surveillance images allegedly showed Mohamoud and Douled holding firearms during the encounter.
Police arrested the three men inside the mall, and officers later recovered another handgun in Abdisalam's vehicle, per the same report. A fourth man was accused in the criminal complaint but has not faced formal charges. Bloomington police say they will release more information as the investigation progresses.
Valid Permits, But Charges Still Filed
Bloomington police say the three charged men held valid permits to carry firearms, a detail that underscores a legal wrinkle unique to Minnesota. Under Minnesota Statute § 624.714, private property owners like Mall of America can ask that firearms not be brought onto their premises, but carrying a weapon past posted signs with a valid permit is not automatically a crime — a permit holder must first refuse a direct order to leave before facing a petty misdemeanor trespass violation, according to the Giffords Law Center.
That legal gap helps explain why prosecutors reached instead for Minnesota's riot statute. Under Minnesota Statute § 609.71 Subdivision 2, second-degree riot is defined as three or more assembled people disturbing the public peace through intentional acts or threats of unlawful force, where participants possess or know others possess dangerous weapons. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
Mall of America's own conduct policy strictly bans visitors from carrying or possessing firearms, ammunition, or weapons of any kind on its property, regardless of whether a visitor holds a valid state carry permit, according to the mall's posted rules. Statewide, Minnesotans hold valid concealed carry permits, and applicants must be at least 21 years old and complete firearms training, per the Giffords Law Center.
A Mall With a History of Gunfire
This is not the first time an altercation inside a Mall of America anchor store has escalated into drawn weapons. In December 2022, a similar fight between two groups inside the mall's Nordstrom store turned into gunfire that killed 19-year-old Johntae Hudson, a case that resulted in a 30-year prison sentence for gunman TaeShawn Adams-Wright in May 2024, as reported by MPR News. That shooting prompted a broad lockdown of the mall just days before Christmas.
In the years since, mall management has layered on new security measures. Following gun-related incidents, the mall piloted weapons detection systems and metal detectors at its north entrance starting in October 2022, according to CBS News Minnesota. The mall was training eight dogs to detect firearm components, per 103.7 The Loon.
Mall of America also integrated facial recognition software into its security camera system across the 5.6-million-square-foot complex in June 2024 to identify persons of interest and banned individuals. Mall of America's security measures also include security checks and periodic K9 searches.
A Crime Watch MN social-media post lists Mohamoud as living in Burnsville, Abdisalam in St. Paul and Douled in Lino Lakes, per Crime Watch MN. It remains unclear whether the fourth man named in the complaint will face formal charges, and Bloomington police have said only that they will release more information as the case develops.
