Police in Bloomington, Minnesota arrested a 24 year old man named Emmanuel after a 5 year old boy was reportedly thrown or pushed from a third floor balcony at the Mall of America.
According to police and local reports, the child was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Early reports described his condition as critical, though one later local report said he was expected to recover.
A witness told CBS Minnesota that a woman at the scene was screaming that someone had thrown her child over the edge. Emergency crews reportedly performed CPR on the boy before he was rushed to a local hospital.
Bloomington Police Chief Jeffrey Potts said the suspect ran from the scene but was found and arrested at the mall. Emmanuel was being held on suspicion of attempted homicide at the time of the report. Police said he does not appear to have any connection to the child or the family, and that investigators were still working to learn what led to the incident.
According to the Star Tribune, the suspect had been given trespass notices in the past ordering him to stay away from the mall, which has raised questions about how he was able to return. Mall of America had not publicly answered those questions when this story was first reported.
Baller Alert will share updates as police release more information. Our thoughts are with the little boy and his family.
