A juvenile suspect wanted in connection with the deadly shooting at the Mall of America in December of 2022 has been taken into custody in Georgia.
The 17-year-old suspect was arrested by U.S. Marshals without incident at a home in Decatur, Georgia Tuesday afternoon, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said.
The juvenile suspect along with 18-year-old Taeshawn Adams-Wright, who was arrested December 28, were seen on security footage standing over 19-year-old Johntae Hudson before they shot several rounds and killed him, according to the criminal complaint filed to Hennepin County. As of Tuesday evening, the juvenile had not been charged. Adams-Wright faces second-degree murder charges.
The juvenile’s mother was also arrested Tuesday in Golden Valley for aiding and abetting murder. The mother allegedly drove the juvenile suspect to Georgia on December 24, the day after the shooting.
“You cannot drive somebody who murders somebody out of state, even if it’s your son,” Hodges said at a press conference Tuesday evening. “You cannot kill somebody in a mall and think you’re going to get away with it. I just don’t understand what’s wrong with some of these people.”
In total, two 18-year-olds and four 17-year-olds have now been arrested and charged in the case. Only Adams-Wright and the suspect arrested Tuesday are believed to have fired shots at Hudson, Hodges said, adding he does anticipate more arrests in connection with the case.
There may also be arrests made in connection with shooting incidents in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Booker revealed his investigators discovered the shell casings that were found at the MOA scene allegedly matched those found at "several shooting crime scenes" that have occurred in Minneapolis and St. Paul over the last "year and a half."
Hodges would not elaborate on those cases, citing them as active investigations.