Two adults and three juveniles were arrested in connection to the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man at the Mall of America on Friday (December 23), the Bloomington Police Department announced in an update shared on its Facebook account early Sunday (December 25) morning.
Taeshawn Adams Wright and Deandre Antioun Depratto, both 18, were identified as the adult suspects and booked for second degree murder.
Three other suspects, all age 17, were also booked for second degree murder.
Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said the department is confident that it has at least one shooter in custody but hasn't ruled out a second gunman and is still working to determine a motive as the five suspects appear to be uncooperative in the investigation.
“We know the how, the where, the what and the who, we don’t know the why,” Hodges said while addressing reporters on Saturday (December 24) via NBC News.
Local authorities haven't publicly released the identity of the victim, who was shot during a fight on the first floor of the Nordstrom store at the Mall of America, according to Hodges.
Security surveillance footage showed a physical altercation between two groups of an estimated five to nine people. A man is seen on the video pulling out a gun and firing multiple shots at the victim during the fight, Hodges confirmed.
Police said it's unclear why the fight started. A group of five to seven people were seen fleeing out a door in the footage.
"They’re in pain, and rightfully so, and for something that should not have happened," Hodges said via NBC News.
The shooting took place just before 8:00 p.m. and sent the nation's biggest mall into lockdown for more than two hours during one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Police said a bystander's coat was grazed by a bullet, however, zero additional injuries were reported.
Several members of the New York Giants -- who faced the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday (December 24) and staying at a hotel adjacent to Mall of America -- were reported to be present at the mall when the shooting took place.
“Your first thought is, obviously, once yourself is safe, you think about your teammates,” wide receiver Darius Slayton said via NBC News. “There’s guys that could have been shopping. Some guys in their room, some people are everywhere. So, obviously, your next thought is all your teammates are OK, which they were.”
The Mall of America had tested "innovative ways to enhance security," which included using metal detectors and checking personal bags at four entrances, following a prior shooting incident, KARE 11 reported in October.
In August, shots were fired in a Nike store at Mall of America after a fight between two groups at the cash register, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges confirmed via KSTP.
One group left the store, but someone armed with a handgun returned to fire at least three shots at the store before fleeing the scene.
No injuries were reported in relation to the August shooting.