Maplewood Mall: Heavy police response, one person loaded into ambulance near JCPenney entrance
Authorities and emergency crews swarmed Maplewood Mall on Sunday afternoon, prompting visible tape and on-scene medical treatment at an entrance near JCPenney. The activity drew widespread attention and social-media reports that a shooting had taken place.
Development details at Maplewood Mall
Aerial footage and on-scene accounts show more than a dozen police squads parked outside the mall’s southeast entrance by the JCPenney store, accompanied by a fire truck and at least one ambulance. Shortly before 2: 30 p. m., crews were observed loading a person into that ambulance, and officers began erecting police tape around the same entrance.
Multiple news crews were dispatched to the scene and law-enforcement agencies including the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office were contacted about the unfolding situation. Chopper footage from local broadcasters captured several squad vehicles converging on the location, and first responders remained visible while personnel worked at the entrance.
Context and escalation
Social-media posts circulated that a shooting had occurred at the mall on White Bear Avenue in St. Paul, and community members reported seeing large numbers of police responding. A local crime-tracking page noted police were on scene outside the JCPenney entrance and that medics were treating a person there; that same page said officers later located and detained two people inside the building, though official confirmation of those detentions was not available at the time.
The St. Paul Police Department had not issued an official statement on the incident when crews were still on site. What makes this notable is the rapid concentration of multiple response elements—police squads, fire apparatus, ambulance crews and secured perimeters—within a short time window, suggesting a coordinated emergency response.
Immediate impact
The visible law-enforcement activity prompted authorities and mall patrons to begin clearing parts of the building. Some reports indicated the mall would be closed for the remainder of the day while officers cleared the interior and assisted with evacuations; officials on scene were still working through those tasks as responders tended to the person placed in the ambulance.
Community reaction was swift, with residents and shoppers posting concerns online and some urging others to avoid the area. The presence of more than a dozen police vehicles and an active medical response produced localized disruption at the Maplewood Mall entrance and along nearby stretches of White Bear Avenue.
Forward outlook
Law-enforcement crews remained at the scene while investigators and emergency personnel completed on-site activities. Media crews and law enforcement were continuing efforts to confirm details, and the timeline for reopening the mall depended on the outcome of those on-site actions.
Officials have been contacted for further information and any additional statements that clarify the situation, including whether the detentions local trackers are confirmed and whether the individual treated in the ambulance was transported for further care. The next confirmed milestones to watch are any formal statements from the St. Paul Police Department or the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office and any announcements about the mall’s status later in the day.
