Bloomington police issued an all-clear Friday afternoon after looking into a report of a suspicious package at the Mall of America. They had closed off the mall and evacuated customers from the first and second floors on its south side at 12:45 p.m.

When the lockdown was called, all of the stores in those hallways brought down their security gates and herded customers into their back rooms.

Bloomington Police Department commander Dave Olmstead said the police first received a call at 11:24 a.m. He said that a couple who were visiting the mall reported encountering a man who was incoherent and brushed up against one of them. He said they heard him say something about "blowing up America."

Mall of America security and the police department noted that he was wearing a backpack and had him set it down on the floor. The bomb squad was brought in and nothing dangerous was found in the bag. The mall was reopened 15 minutes later.

Bloomington police cited the man with disorderly conduct and trespassing and sent him to a nearby hospital for a for a mental health evaluation.

TASNIM SHAMMA