Witnesses say man threw child from third floor Mall of America balcony

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (WXIN/CNN) -- A 5-year-old child suffered significant injuries Friday after witnesses say a man either threw or pushed the child from the third floor of the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, according to local police.

Bloomington Chief of Police Jeff Potts told reporters Friday that police were called to the Mall of America at 10:17 a.m. local time, and initial information suggested a child had fallen from the third level of the mall's interior to the first level.

Additional information from witnesses indicated the 5-year-old might have been pushed or thrown, Potts said.

Police officers gave the child first aid along with witnesses, Potts said.

According to Potts, witnesses told police the person suspected of pushing or throwing the child “took off running immediately after the incident.” The suspect, a 24-year-old man was soon found inside the mall and was taken into custody.

“At this time, we do not believe that there is a relationship between the child or the family of the child,” Potts said, emphasizing that police believe this to be an “isolated incident.”