Shooter of Minnesota Mall Terrorist Is a Firearms Instructor, Competitor

You may have read about the 22-year-old man who went on a stabbing rampage in the Crossroads Center shopping mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota on Saturday. It has been reported that USPSA Shooter, 3-Gunner, and NRA-certified firearms instructor Jason Falconer is the man who shot and killed the apparent terrorist, who reportedly asked victims if they were Muslim before stabbing them.

This story from Bearing Arms says Falconer is repeatedly identified only as an off-duty police officer and a former police chief, which he certainly is.

This story from mprnews.com says: "St. Cloud Mayor David Kleis said he believes Falconer prevented additional injuries and loss of life. 'Clearly he is a hero. Officer Falconer was there at the right time and the right place,' Kleis said."

A description of surveillance video of the end of the stabbing rampage showed the suspect with a knife clearly in his hand. He lunged at Falconer, who fired at him. The suspect fell and got back up three times before the final shot, the story says.

“None of us ever want to have to do that,” said St. Cloud Police Chief Wm. Blair Anderson in the story, “but that’s what we’re here for, and Officer Falconer’s actions were swift and direct, and in my opinion appropriate.”

After the attack, eight people were treated at St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the attack first reported about 8:15 p.m.Saturday at the mall. Three who were admitted had been treated and released. A ninth victim was transported to Long Prairie Hospital.

From the Bearing Arms story:

“It’s almost as if the media is attempting to cover up the fact that creating and training armed citizens is a major part of the man who took out the terrorist in a MN mall this weekend.”

The story then includes Falconer's bio from Tactical Advantages, LLC, a training company he owns before saying:

“Jason Falconer isn’t some marginally-trained big-city patrol officer with just a basic grasp of using his department-issued firearm.

“He’s a firearms instructor passionate about training concealed carriers and developing the best-possible, most-realistic training for his clients. He’s part of the reason why concealed carry continues to surge in popularity, with more than 14 million Americans now choosing to carry some or part of the time.”

“While Mr. Falconer happened to be the armed citizen who stopped the wannabe mass killer before he could take a life, it just as easily could have been one of his students.”

“It just as easily could have been one of you.”

The mall's code of conduct prohibits firearms, the story says, making it a gun-free zone.

To read the entire story from Bearing Arms, go here.