FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force Takes Over Minnesota Mall Stabbing Investigation

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has taken over the investigation into the Sept. 17 Minnesota mall stabbing that left 10 victims injured and one suspect dead.

The agency will continue to receive assistance from the St. Cloud Police Department as authorities investigate possible links between the suspect and international terror organizations.

Police were dispatched to a report of a stabbing inside the Crossroads Center mall just after 8 p.m., where they later confirmed that multiple people had been stabbed. An Islamic State-linked news agency called the suspect, who was shot and killed by police, "a solider of ISIS."

Authorities identified the now-deceased suspect in the stabbing at a mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota as Dahir Ahmed Adan, a 20-year-old male from St. Cloud.

Adan was wearing a private security uniform at the time of the attack and was fatally shot by an off-duty police officer at the scene.

The off-duty police officer who shot and killed Adan has been identified as Jason Falconer. Falconer was previously the police chief for nearby Albany, Minnesota.

President Barack Obama spoke to Falconer Monday to thank him for his bravery and heroic actions.

Initially, it was reported that nine people were transported to the St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. However, St. Cloud Police investigators later identified a 10th victim from the incident, a 21-year-old male from St. Cloud.

The victim told investigators that he did not initially seek out medical attention or notify police because he was not severely injured.

'Hero' Police Officer Saved Lives During Minnesota Mall Stabbing

St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said Adan referred to Allah and asked at least one victim if he was Muslim before assaulting him.

"It’s an awful day," Anderson said. "Things won’t be the same."

"St. Cloud is a very resilient community. St. Cloud is filled with hard-working, right-thinking, decent people, and we're going to be stronger because of this," Anderson added.

"If this happened anywhere, it's happening everywhere. And yesterday was just a horrible day, not only for St. Cloud, but for the state of Minnesota and for our entire nation."

Investigators have executed at least two search warrants at a location in St. Cloud where they searched two apartments.

The suspect's vehicle was found at the mall parking lot, Anderson said. The vehicle was impounded and searched. Nothing was found that could present a threat.

The Islamic State-linked AMAQ news agency reported that the terrorist group described Adan as a soldier of ISIS.

"The executor of the stabbing attacks in Minnesota yesterday was a soldier of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to the citizens of countries belonging to the crusader coalition," read a statement from AMAQ.

Investigators have so far found no evidence that Adan was linked to ISIS prior to the attack.

"We are currently investigating this as a potential act of terrorism, and I do say 'potential,'" FBI agent Richard Thornton said Sunday afternoon.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton released a statement on the incident Sunday, saying she strongly condemns "the apparent terrorist attacks in Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York. I pray for all of those who were wounded, and for their families."

"ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack in Minnesota, and this should steel our resolve to protect our country and defeat ISIS and other terrorist groups."

Clinton added that she believes there's a need for "Silicon Valley to counter propaganda and recruitment efforts online."

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump also weighed in on the attack:

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton also released a statement on the attack Sunday:

I am appalled at the terrible attacks on innocent Minnesotans in St. Cloud last night. If true that they were motivated by religious bigotry, I condemn them even more strongly. There is no place in Minnesota for intolerance of all Americans’ constitutional right to worship according to their beliefs.I am deeply grateful to the heroic law enforcement officer, whose swift response prevented an even worse attack. And I extend my very best wishes to the victims for their swift and complete recoveries. I ask everyone in the St. Cloud area and throughout Minnesota to rise above this atrocity and act to make religious and racial tolerance one of the ways in which Minnesotans again lead our country.Tomorrow morning, I will travel to St. Cloud to offer my support to city officials and its citizens.

Police placed the mall on lockdown immediately following the incident, preventing shoppers from leaving or entering the building.

Several teams of officers performed precautionary searches of all businesses inside the mall.

The mall remain closed Sunday, but was reopened for regular business Monday.

Crossroads Center mall also released a statement saying employees are "devastated by the events" that took place Saturday.

"The safety and well-being of our customers and employees is our number one priority. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were impacted by this tragic event."

The Muslim Public Affairs Council denounced "actions of ISIS" in a tweet Sunday.

Patch will continue to update this story.

Photo by Alex Curtis, used with permission