On Thursday afternoon, two suspects in the Mall of America shooting incident were arrested in Chicago, where they were apparently hiding from authorities.
According to prosecutors, on August 4, the two suspects, 21-year-old Shamar Alon Lark and 23-year-old Rashad Jamal May, allegedly fired three shots after getting into a dispute with people at a Nike store within the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. No one was injured in the incident.
Booker Hodges, the Bloomington Chief of Police, said in a press release that the arrests should stand as an example of the measures authorities would undertake toward gun violence.
He said:
“A week ago, we said you can’t shoot up the mall and expect to get away with it. You can’t commit these acts and enjoy the freedoms of a free society."
Three other individuals were also arrested for allegedly helping Shamar Lark, and Rashad May flee the crime scene.
The aftermath of the Mall of America shooting
As per CBS, Shamar Lark was identified by the authorities as the shooter in the Mall of America shooting, while Rashad May was accused of being the accomplice who helped him hide from authorities.
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The New York Post reported that Lark had been charged with intentional discharge of a firearm, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a pistol without a permit. Rashad May was indicted for aiding an offender.
KARE 11 reported that the pair were discovered in Chicago by FBI agents while leaving a barbershop in a car driven by a female accomplice. Authorities believe that they may have been getting haircuts to obscure their identities.
The three others arrested for aiding the pair were Denesh Raghubir, 21, Selena Raghubir, 23, and Delyanie Kwen-Shawn Arnold, 23. Denesh and Selena Raghubir, who were cousins, were employed at a Best Western hotel near the Mall of America.
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According to authorities, Selena Raghubir and Delyani Arnold were in a relationship. After the shooting, as the Mall of America was locked down, the suspects supposedly reached out to Arnold for help while escaping. Arnold then proceeded to inform Selena, who got her cousin Denesh to drive down to the mall to aid Lark and May in their escape.
Authorities reported that Denesh is accused of lying when questioned, as he initially claimed that Lark and May were in the hotel. As a result, the Best Western hotel was also placed under lockdown.
As of now, Lark and May are in custody at Cook County Jail, Illinois. They will be extradited to Minnesota, where they are expected to be put on trial.