BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota (AP) – The Mall of America, on the outskirts of Minneapolis, is testing metal detectors at the entrance after two shootings and one armed robbery over the past year.
Mall spokesperson Laura Utecht said on Tuesday that the trial will take place at the north gates of the mall next month, though it could change as testing continues. She declined to say what shoppers should avoid trying to go through metal detectors, the Star Tribune reported.
“Because the Mall of America is such a unique property, it is important to thoroughly evaluate this technology on site to ensure its accuracy, effectiveness and efficiency,” Utecht said in a statement, adding that the mall is testing a variety of security options.
The Mall of America prohibits guns, according to its website, but Bloomington Mall never searched metal detectors or bags. The mall, which opened in 1992, is the largest in the United States and is a tourist destination and community hangout.
Two firearm incidents occurred in August. In one, a man robbed two shops and was arrested with a loaded gun. About three weeks earlier, a man had fired a shot in the middle of a fight between four other people. There were no injuries in either case.
A shooting last New Year left two people injured following an argument on the third floor of the mall.
The Associated Press
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