SICK ANIMAL: Man Charged After Reports He Threw 5-Year Old Boy Over 3rd Floor Railing At Mall of America

Here's more, from Reuters:

A 5-year-old boy suffered life-threatening injuries on Friday after being thrown or pushed by an apparent stranger from a third-floor balcony at Minnesota’s Mall of America, and a man who fled the scene has been charged with attempted homicide, police said. 

The child was rushed to a hospital after officers and passersby provided aid at the scene, Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts said. His condition was not immediately known. 

Shortly after the incident, police arrested a 24-year-old man inside the mall, one of the state’s leading tourist attractions, after he had fled the scene, Potts said. 

The suspect, Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, who is from the area, was charged with attempted homicide, police said in a statement. 

“At this time we do not believe there is a relationship between the suspect and the child or the family of the child, and we are actively investigating as to why this incident occurred,” Potts said at a briefing just outside the mall. 

Police received an initial report at 10:17 a.m. saying a child had fallen from the third level of the mall, but witnesses reported the child was pushed or thrown by a man, Potts said.

And from the Star Tribune:

A 5-year-old boy who fell almost 40 feet after being thrown over a third-floor railing at the Mall of America on Friday remained hospitalized Saturday, police said.

At a noon news conference, Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts said the family of the boy, who remains hospitalized at Children's Hospital Minneapolis, has requested privacy.

"This is a horrific situation, and the family is in our thoughts and prayers," Potts said. "They appreciate the thoughts and prayers from the public."

The suspect, Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 24, was quickly arrested after fleeing to the mall's transit station, thanks to witness reports and security cameras, Potts said. He was moved overnight from the Bloomington jail to the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of attempted murder and other charges. He will be charged by noon Monday, Potts said.

Potts said there is no connection between the victim, his family and Aranda.

And from CBS Local:

The 5-year-old boy who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at Mall of America Friday is still alive and receiving care at Children’s Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis, according to Bloomington police.

Emmanuel Aranda, 24, was arrested in the mall’s transit station after running away from the scene. Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts says at least one person tried to stop Aranda as he fled. He was transferred to Hennepin County Jail Friday night.

Potts says criminal charges will likely be filed against Aranda by mid-day on Monday. He is expected to be charged with attempted homicide. Aranda is cooperating with investigators.

“We think this is a very isolated event,” Potts said. “We think the mall is still a very safe place to go.”

Potts said Bloomington police have had three prior contacts with Aranda in 2015 — two of which were connected to incidents at Mall of America. A criminal complaint says in one case, he was suspected of “throwing things off the upper level of the mall to the lower level.” In another case, Aranda assaulted a woman inside Twin City Grill after she refused to buy him food. He was also charged with destroying five computers inside of a north Minneapolis library that same year.

Witnesses say they heard a woman scream that someone had thrown her son over the railing, which police estimate to be about a 40-foot fall. The incident left witnesses in disbelief. 

“It’s jaw dropping,” said witness Brian Johnson. “Just questioning what could possibly be the motive for something like this.”

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