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Mall of America shooting: Five arrested teens stopped at White Castle for 'crave pack' after killing 19-yr-old

Police Chief Booker Hodges said, 'The people we arrested here after the shooting, appear that they felt it was necessary to get something to eat'

BY MEENAKSHI SENGUPTA

UPDATED DEC 25, 2022

Deandre Depratto (Bottom L) and Taeshawn Wright who are among the arrested for their involvement in the fatal MOA shooting, made a pitstop at White Castle (Bloomington Police Department, Getty Images)

BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA: The police arrested five people, that included two 18-year-old men, and three 17-year-old boys, following a shooting at the Mall of America on Friday evening, December 23. Now, the latest report suggests that the culprits, who reportedly killed a 19-year-old African-American man, stopped for food at White Castle.

Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said a day after the shooting, "The people we arrested here after the shooting, appears that they felt it was necessary to get something to eat. So they went to White Castle … and got a crave pack," as per New York Post. Narrating the attack, he told, "Yesterday was the first firearms-related homicide in the history of Mall of America." It is the second murder in the mall ever, the first being a 1999 domestic-related stabbing.

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'Long-standing feud'

Hodges said police from several area departments, including SWAT officers, executed a search warrant at a St Louis Park address and arrested the five people. The 18-year-olds have been identified as Taeshawn Wright and Deandre Depratto. However, the identities of the 17-year-olds are not released by authorities as they are considered juvenile suspects. He added by saying that one of the 18-year-olds is believed to be the shooter, though another suspect may also have fired a weapon. He said, "I’m fairly confident we do have the person responsible for murdering the victim in custody." Meanwhile, a sixth suspect is still being sought, as per Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Explaining the possible reason behind the attack, the chief said, “We believe this is some type of long-standing feud, something that’s been going on. But no one is cooperating with us right now," reports KSTP. On the other hand, the chief didn't make any comments on whether any weapons were recovered. But the Medical Examiner is expected to reveal the victim’s identity soon, states New York Post.