USA TODAY International Edition
No ISIL link so far in Minn. attack
Gov. Dayton offers his support, urges unity for St. Cloud
St. Cloud stabbing probe in early stages
ST. CLOUD, MINN. St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said at a news conference Monday that investigators so far have not uncovered any connection between ISIS and the deceased suspect in the attacks Saturday evening at Crossroads Center mall.
Anderson spoke after a meeting between Gov. Mark Dayton and city officials. Dayton and Lt. Gov. Tina Smith came to St. Cloud to discuss the attacks that left nine people injured, all of whom have been released from the hospital.
Anderson said the investigation is still in the beginning stages, but so far, investigators hasn’t found anything that suggest anything other than it was a lone attack.
The police chief said his officers are trying to find out as much as they possibly can about the attacker, who has been identified by members of the Somali community and his family as 22year- old Dahir Adan.
“The directive I gave my staff was that I want to know everything about this individual from the day he was born until last Saturday,” Anderson said.
There’s no evidence showing that the St. Cloud incident was connected to weekend terror attacks in New York and New Jersey, Anderson said.
“Right now we have not uncovered anything that would suggest there’s a nexus between those events,” he said.
Adan was fatally wounded by an off- duty Avon police officer, Jason Falconer. Anderson said he won’t confirm the identity of the suspect until a medical examiner’s report is complete.
Dayton pledged support and assistance, saying he was in St. Cloud to express “our deep concern for what occurred on Satur- day night and our desire to do whatever we possibly can to assist in this community’s recovery from that and coming together in even more unified and stronger than ever before.”
Dayton said President Obama called him Monday morning to offer any assistance. The president also conveyed his high regard for the law enforcement officials who responded, Dayton said, and for Falconer for stopping the attacker.
Dayton said efforts to unite the St. Cloud community would take on a renewed emphasis.
“I implore the citizens of St. Cloud and citizens throughout Minnesota to rise above this tragic incident and to remember our common humanity, our shared citizenship and our shared de- sires to live together peacefully and constructively for the benefit of ourselves and our families and our communities,” he said.
Falconer has worked part- time since 2007 for the Avon Police Department, which recognized his work Monday morning.
Said Avon Police Chief Corey Nellis: “In my opinion, with his training and abilities, he was the right person in the right place and the right time.”
The FBI is assisting St. Cloud police in the investigation. On Sunday the agency said it would look into any potential links to terrorism. According to police, Adan made references to Allah during the attacks.
Adan is of Somali descent, and the attacks spurred concern about relationships between Somali- American immigrants and the rest of the community.
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American- Islamic Relations was to join Muslim community and interfaith leaders at a news conference Monday at St. Cloud City Hall to urge unity.
Crossroads Center reopened Monday. The mall’s owner, General Growth Properties, referred to Crossroads Center’s Facebook page, which says in part: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were impacted by this tragic event.”
“The directive I gave my staff was that I want to know everything about this individual from the day he was born until last Saturday.” St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson