The St. Cloud, Minnesota mall in which the September 17 mass stabbing occurred is a “gun free zone.”
The mall–Crossroads Center–has a “Code of Conduct” that forbids “firearms or illegal weapons.” There are no reports on whether there were any concealed carry permit holders who were present when the attack occurred but were unable to defend themselves due to mall policy. However, the attack was stopped by an off-duty officer who carried his gun with him, the “gun free” policy notwithstanding.
Breitbart News reported the attack occurred between 8:20 and 9 pm local time. ABC affiliate KSTP reports that at least eight people were injured in the attack; the St. Cloud Times notes that one of those eight was admitted to the hospital, while the rest sustained “non-life threatening injuries.” The attack ended when the off-duty officer shot and killed the knife-welding attacker.
KSTP confirms the attacker made references to Allah at some point during the attack.
“Gun free zones” are a target of choice for mass public attackers and terrorists alike. The Orlando Pulse nightclub (June 12, 2016), the San Bernardino county building (December 2, 2015), Umpqua Community College (October 1, 2015), the Lafayette movie theater (July 23, 2015), Fort Hood (April 2, 2014), the DC Navy Yard (September 16, 2013), Sandy Hook Elementary School (December 14, 2012), the Aurora movie theater (July 20, 2012), and Virginia Tech (April 16, 2007) were all “gun free zones” and were attacked for a massive loss of innocent life.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.