St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson says the attacker made references to Allah during the attack and asked at least one person whether they were Muslim

Eight people were taken to St. Cloud hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and one person was admitted

At least eight people were taken to a hospital with injuries after a stabbing attack at a Minnesota shopping mall that ended with the suspected attacker, who reportedly made references to Allah, shot dead by an off-duty police officer, authorities said.

The attack took place at Crossroads Center mall in St. Cloud.

St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said during a news conference shortly after midnight that eight people were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the attack first reported about 8.15pm Saturday.

One person was admitted. No further details were released.

During the news conference, Anderson said the attacker who was armed with a knife made references to Allah during the attack and asked at least one person whether they were Muslim.

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Eight people were taken to a hospital with injuries after a stabbing attack at a Minnesota shopping mall on Saturday evening which ended with the suspected attacker dead inside the mall

People stand near the entrance on the north side of Crossroads Center mall between Macy's and Target as officials investigate a reported multiple stabbing incident

Anderson said, according to KSTP: 'At approximately 8pm, an armed suspect entered the Crossroads Mall.

'That individual made some references to Allah and we confirmed that he asked at least one person if they were Muslim before assaulting them.'

Anderson revealed the suspect was wearing a 'private security uniform'.

Anderson said it was a lone suspect, telling reporters: 'We've got eight victims that were assaulted here.'

He declined to call the attacks an act of terrorism, saying the motive for the attacks isn't known yet. 'We will be diligent and get to the bottom of this,' Anderson said.

Anderson also said police had at least three prior contacts with the suspect for 'minor traffic violations'.

Anderson said an off-duty police officer from another jurisdiction shot and killed the unidentified suspect. He did not say where that officer serves.

The mall remained on lockdown following the incident, but authorities expected those remaining inside to be released early Sunday.

Crossroads Center 'will remain closed through Sunday as investigators continue to process multiple crime scenes within the building', KSTP wrote.

St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson declined to call the attacks an act of terrorism, saying the motive for the attacks isn't known yet

Harley and Tama Exsted of Isle, Minnesota, who were in St. Cloud to watch their son play in a college golf tournament, were in the mall when the incident occurred.

'All of a sudden I heard pop pop pop,' Harley Exsted said. 'I thought someone tipped over a shelf. All of a sudden these people started running. I just saw everybody running our way.'

There also were reports of some shots fired during the attack.

The couple were unharmed and said they helped another woman who was running from the scene to her car.

Officers responded to a report of a stabbing at Crossroads Center mall

The suspect is dead, according to St. Cloud police

Ashley Bayne was in the mall and told WCCO: 'I went closer to the mall entrance by J.C. Penney's and I was looking at some jeans and all the sudden people were just running in chaos.

'They were screaming, "Someone's stabbing people in the mall," and people were just really frantic and were running.'

She recalled to the news outlet: 'When I got in my car to get out people were speeding out of there.

'By the time I left my coworker had texted me saying they had all gone into lockdown in the mall.

'There were no notifications in the mall at all, it was just people running and screaming.'