Mall Of America Shooting: St. Paul Man Charged

BLOOMINGTON, MN — An 18-year-old St. Paul man has been charged in the Dec. 31 shooting at the Mall of America that left two people injured.

Kahlil Wiley faces two counts of second-degree assault for firing a single gunshot that struck two people in the crowded mall.

Wiley is scheduled to make his first appearance on Jan. 7 at 1:30 p.m.

"This kind of dangerous, brazen behavior caused the injury of two people. Given how crowded the mall was with patrons, including young children with their families, I am surprised and relieved there weren’t more victims," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a news release.

"This is a matter our office takes very seriously, and since Mr. Wiley fired a gun in the presence of children, we will be seeking an upward sentencing departure. Ultimately, we are seeking a greater sentence for Mr. Wiley due to the egregiousness of his actions."

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.