18-Year-Old Sentenced In Mall Of America Shooting On NYE

MINNEAPOLIS — An 18-year-old St. Paul man Tuesday was sentenced to 45 months — or nearly four years — in prison after shooting a man in the leg at the Mall of America on New Year’s Eve 2021.

Khalil Wiley pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree assault on March 11.

Under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines, the presumptive sentence for Wiley's offense should receive 36 months in prison. However, Wiley received an additional nine months because the shooting happened in front of children.

He received 77 days of credit for time already served. Wiley must also pay restitution.

At Wiley's sentencing hearing, a victim impact statement was read by the wife of a man whose shoulder was grazed by a bullet. She discussed the trauma her family experienced as a result of the shooting.

According to the criminal complaint, on New Year's Eve just before 5 p.m., Wiley was on the third floor in the Mall of America when two men began to chase him.

The men who chased Wiley later told police they were upset with him from a previous incident and decided to run after him.

During the chase, Wiley turned around, pulled out a gun, and shot one of the men in the leg, authorities said.

The single bullet managed to pass through the first male victim's leg, ricochet off a guardrail, and hit another person in the crowd who has no connection to Wiley, according to the criminal complaint.

Both men survived the shooting.

During the investigation, police learned where Wiley lived and conducted surveillance at his home in St. Paul. On Jan. 4, Wiley was seen leaving the residence in a car. Police pulled him over and took him into custody.

During the traffic stop, Wiley was found with a gun, according to the criminal complaint. Wiley admitted to the shooting, police said.