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Traffic was moving well as Stickman tuned in an all-news station to monitor still-sketchy reporting on the attack at the Mall of America.
Early reports are that more than two hundred people may be dead and scores more injured, many critically, in today’s bombings of at least six theaters at the iconic mall. The death count is expected to rise significantly. Officials immediately blamed terrorists for the attacks, but did not name a particular group. So far, no terrorist organization has claimed responsibility. Investigators are searching for possible links to an explosion at a house outside Fargo, North Dakota. There, more than a dozen officers were killed as they moved in on a suspected terrorist. Several more officers were critically injured in what was described by the FBI as a raid on the house. At the mall, a man suspected in that attack was shot twice by police or security guards. He is in critical but stable condition at a nearby hospital, and is expected to live.
We caution you that some of the information coming in from the mall and from law enforcement sources is preliminary. We have not, repeat, have not independently confirmed all details. That said, a plastic explosive such as C-4 is believed to have been used. It appears the bombs had been loaded with nails, ball bearings and other metal objects. That metal extended the carnage far beyond the actual blast areas, causing wounds similar to those inflicted by a grenade. Some of the explosions also brought down walls and ceilings, apparently causing electrical fires and immediately turning the theaters into infernos. One official said at least some of the bombs appear to have been under back row seats. They said that when the blasts took out walls, patrons in hallways outside the targeted theaters also were killed or wounded. Because the blasts appeared to be simultaneous or nearly so, officials believe a remote igniting device was used. However, the use of sophisticated timers on individual bombs has not been ruled out. Given the massive impact of the blasts, the perpetrators are believed to have used several pounds of explosive. The possibility remains that several suicide bombers carried out the attack. But, the wounding of a suspect before the explosions, in a retail area well away from the theaters, does not support that scenario, one official said.
First responders and witnesses are describing scenes of unimaginable horror as survivors attempt to crawl through bodies and wreckage. Many victims suffered terrible wounds from the metal objects loaded into the bombs as well as from flying debris or fire. A couple using wheelchairs, celebrating their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary, was among those killed. Also dead is a four-year-old going to see her first movie, a Disney film.
It’s now been more than an hour since the terrorist attack. Sources tell us every officer who can be summoned, has been. Some are helping deal with the absolute chaos at the mall, one of the nation’s most popular shopping and recreation venues. Federal agents, including those of the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, have been called in. Officers from around Minnesota are responding, as are some from surrounding states including Iowa and Wisconsin.
Our reporting thus far indicates law officers have few leads – no indication of how many terrorists or what kind of vehicles were involved, let alone descriptions – assuming of course that suicide bombers were not to blame. Officials are not saying whether they believe the attacks were carried out by homegrown terrorists. The other likely possibility, of course, is that an international group was responsible for or inspired the massacre. We know that a huge dragnet is being thrown up around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. That includes road blocks on interstates, county roads, state and federal highways and even some city streets. SWAT teams have been dispatched to bus and train depots and airports have been shut down. Major facilities and institutions – from universities and their dormitories to hospitals and sports venues – also have been shut down or are under a high security alert. Check our website for details on closings.
You gotta love the American media, Stickman thought. Freedom of the press and transparent government help me every time. But perhaps not enough. Seemingly without warning the interstate ahead lit up in a river of red. Traffic check coming up, no doubt. Think, think. Car papers in order. If I toss my guns someone will no doubt see. Can I slip through with them? I’ll want them if bad goes to worse. But I always have my ice pick, he thought with a nervous chuckle. Again he thought about the guns, not wanting to give them up and the difficulty of tossing them. He wondered how long traffic checks could last. Americans are impatient. Count on this through tomorrow, then easing up the next day. It he could find a safe place for a day or so ...But that’s not the problem. Not right now.
He hadn’t thought to get in the right hand lane, but as he crept ahead he belatedly realized an exit was approaching. Take it, an internal voice shouted. The car on his right had dropped back slightly, far enough to nose in, and he laid on his horn. The startled driver braked, giving Stickman room to cut in and then whip into exit lane traffic.
Between listening to the radio report and getting out of traffic he had lost track of exactly where he was. A Northfield exit? He felt a bit disjointed, told himself that’s probably to be expected, that this hasn’t been an average day. The exit emptied onto a street and a nearby motel boasted a restaurant and lounge. He found a space in the corner of the parking lot beside a car hooked to a rental trailer. He didn’t know if the sense of concealment really meant anything, but it felt good.
No rooms were available. A Masonic group from southwest Missouri had booked all available space to avoid paying downtown Minneapolis prices. “I think there will be vacancies tomorrow, sir.” Stickman politely thanked the desk clerk. Getting back into traffic made no sense. He headed for the bar.