St. Cloud Mayor: Thoughts And Prayers Are With the Victims of The Mall Stabbings

ST. CLOUD - With the light of a new day the St. Cloud metro area continues to assess what happened at the Crossroads Shopping Center last (Saturday) night.

St. Cloud police say a man walked into the mall dressed in a security guard uniform and stabbed eight people.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis says this (Sunday) morning that his thoughts and prayers are with the eight victims, as well as the hundreds of families, that were at the mall during the attack.

Kleis says it's an event like this that has kept him up at night worrying.  He says this could happen in any community, and you're never completely prepared for it.

Kleis thanks the tremendous response to the situation from the police from all of the surrounding agencies, the firefighters, EMS, and everyone else who helped secure the scene.  He also noted the quick action from the off duty police officer from another agency who shot and killed the suspect.  Kleis wouldn't say which department he works for, but we are hoping to learn that information later today.

Kleis says calls and emails have bee pouring in from all over the world.

Congressman Tom Emmer released the following statement:

"The person who attacked innocent people at the Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud last night struck terror into the hearts of all Americans. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this attack and we hope for their speedy recovery. The citizen who stopped this evil man and ended his attack is a hero and has the gratitude and admiration of us all.

Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today issued the following statement on the Crossroads Center Mall attack in St. Cloud:

“Everyone should feel safe in their community -- whether they're at school or a movie theater or a shopping mall. Last night that feeling of safety was greatly shaken when an assailant stabbed eight people at the Crossroads Center Mall in St. Cloud. I have visited the mall many times, and I can't imagine the horror experienced by those visiting and working there. My heart goes out to the victims and all those who were there last night.”