Bloomington police arrest man suspected of robbing a Mall of America store with a rifle

Bloomington police say they arrested one man suspected of carrying a rifle into the Mall of America and robbing a Lids store on Friday.

A news release from the Bloomington Police Department says Mall of America security contacted officers to report a man, later determined to be 28-year-old Cartier Troy Alexander, had entered the mall with a rifle.

Mall security detained him as he exited the Lids store on the southeast side of the third floor of the mall, according to the news release.

Bloomington police officers arrived and then took Alexander, who was carrying a rifle, into custody. He was arrested on suspicion of committing an armed robbery at the Lids store.

Police say a vehicle associated with Alexander was found in the mall parking ramp. A search warrant for the vehicle is pending.

Investigators believe that Alexander had also committed a robbery at Twin City Pawn in Minneapolis earlier Friday afternoon.