Bloomington Police Chief Hodges says three people in custody over the Mall of America shooting each face charges of “aiding a delinquent” and there are nationwide arrest warrants for two people.
Denesh Raghubir, 21; Selena Raghubir, 23; and Delyanie Kwen-Shawn Arnold, 23, are all charged with assisting an offender.
Nationwide arrest warrants are out for 21-year-old Shamar Alon Lark and 23-year-old Rashad Jamal May.
“You can’t blow up a mall and think you can get away with it,” Chief Booker Hodges told reporters. “I knew that there are many people who are traumatized by this. We just want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep our community safe.”
Officials responded to reports of multiple gunshots on the west side of the Mall of America around 4:17 p.m. Thursday. Officers were then directed to the Nike store, where three shell casings were found just inside the main entrance.
From left: Denesh Raghubir, Selena Raghubir and Delyanie Arnold (Bloomington Police Department)
Surveillance video showed six people engaged in a fight outside the store’s checkout area, causing several customers to flee. Two people involved in the fight – identified as Lark and May – briefly left the store and then returned. Upon returning, Lark allegedly fired a handgun multiple times at others involved in the fight.
Chief Hodges said: “Mr. May had urged Mr. Lark to go back inside and shoot up the store, and unfortunately, Mr. Lark, choosing to show a complete lack of respect for humanity, went inside the store and fired three shots at a crowded Nike store .”
Shamar Alon Lark (left) and Rashad Jamal May, suspects in the August 4, 2022 Mall of America shooting incident, are still at large. (Bloomington Police Department)
Security footage showed the two then ran out of the mall’s north doors, through the north parking lot, and into the Ikea parking lot. Officers then found they were being picked up by a Best Western hotel shuttle and taken to the hotel south of the mall.
According to the complaint, phone records showed May Arnold calling the mall two minutes after the shooting. May then received five calls from Arnold between 4:20 p.m. and 4:23 p.m
Chief Hodges went on to explain that the suspects in custody helped Lark and May escape, saying: “These three people who helped Lark and May, we’ve locked them up – and anyone who helps Lark and May, we will.” lock up.”
Arnold’s girlfriend is Selena Raghubir, an assistant manager at the Best Western and the cousin of Denesh Raghubir, who was identified as the driver of the shuttle that picked up May and Lark.
The complaint states that hotel management confirmed Denesh Raghubir is not the regular shuttle driver and the regular driver was working at the time, but he is said to have told officers he dropped Lark and May off at the hotel and considered them friends of his cousin knew Selena.
Denesh Raghubir also told officers that Selena Raghubir left the hotel immediately after he dropped Lark and May off and he did not see her for 45 minutes, the complaint said.
Officers searched Arnold and Selena Raghubir’s home and vehicle the next day and found the orange shirt apparently worn by May and the white tank top Lark was wearing at the time of the shooting.
As of Monday afternoon, Denesh and Selena Raghubir and Arnold were all in custody. If convicted, they face up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Lark and May remain at large. 5 EYWITNESS NEWS has learned that both Lark and May are on probation for previous gun crimes.
BWH Hotel Group made the following statement to 5 EYWITNESS NEWS:
“We are deeply saddened by the violence that took place at the Mall of America last week and our thoughts are with the Minneapolis community. As this hotel is independently owned and operated, we support the hotel’s decision to immediately terminate the employees allegedly involved in this horrific event. The actions of these employees are in stark contrast to the values of our brand and the sense of community of our hotel family.”
Bloomington Police provided an update on their investigation at 3pm Monday.
Chief Hodges said: “If someone chooses to draw a gun or a weapon and there is a blatant disregard for humanity, I don’t know what security measures we will put in place for that. Our security situation will remain the same.”
Chief Hodges says: “May is wanted. Right now, we’re going to issue a national arrest warrant for a criminal, and we’re going to issue a nationwide arrest warrant. He is wanted for second degree assault.”
Mall of America released a statement that says, in part, that it has increased its law enforcement and security presence. This includes K-9 units, patrols, and civilian officers.
The mall did not say how long these measures will remain in effect.
Comments are closed.