GUILTY MN - Landen Hoffmann, 5, thrown from 3rd Floor at Mall of America by stranger, 12 Apr 2019 *Arrest*

Link to Hennepin County Attorney's office statement, with pdf of the criminal complaint:

Attempted murder charge against man who threw boy from mall's 3rd floor

According to the criminal complaint, about 10:15 a.m. Friday, the victim and his mother were outside the Rain Forest Café on the mall’s third floor. The mother saw Aranda, whom she had never seen before, come close to them and she asked if they should move.

Instead, Aranda picked up the boy and threw him over the railing, the complaint states.

https://www.hennepinattorney.org/-/...hash=EE6811706337FD586E4EE26EF16542B53F42CCC7

The Victim landed on the first floor in front of numerous people after falling for approximately 39 feet. He is currently in critical condition receiving all available treatment. The State intends to pursue an aggravated sentence based on particular cruelty to the Victim, particular vulnerability of the Victim, and the commission of the act in the presence of other children and the Victim’s mother.
 
Alleged Mall of America Child Attacker Has Record in Chicago

According to court documents, in 2014 Aranda got into an altercation at a Ravenswood Golden Nugget restaurant. Aranda was checking out at the register but his debit card was not working. He used the restaurant’s phone to verify his debit card amount for $31.88. The police report states that Aranda then became enraged when the victim told him she was going to call the police if he could not pay. Aranda “struck the victim in the head with the telephone.” Another restaurant customer attempted to intervene but Aranda then “produced a large knife and began to chase the (customer) around the restaurant threatening to stab him.” Aranda ran out of the restaurant but was shortly apprehended by police. In their investigation, police discovered that Aranda one day earlier had threatened to “slit the throat of the manager” at another Golden Nuggett Restaurant.

Aranda was eventually found guilty of simple assault and 2 counts of theft. He received 18 months of supervision, plus $25 and $31.88 in restitution.

It seems pretty obvious that his violent behavior has been escalating over the past 5-6 years at least. He's only 24. JMO, but I suspect he has a huge record of similar offenses from before he turned 18-- that will be vigorously suppressed. People don't just "turn violent suddenly" when they turn 18.

His probable juvenile record probably doesn't matter, because there are so many violent, impulsive, and erratic crimes since he turned 18. But I am curious if he had any other serious juvenile violent offenses that were minimized as much as the one above.

Ticking time bomb. Chance after chance. No lengthy supervision. Crimes always reduced, minimized, and under-sentenced. Until he did this. Hopefully, he will get LWOP. Even that is not justice, IMO, for what he did to this child and family.
 
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I wonder if this poor baby boy will ever recover fully.

We all know freefalling 40 feet on probably a very unforgiving marble tiled floor below ...can result in very severe injuries.

I'm so worried about his long time outcome.

How in the world could this man do this to him? He didn't even know the little guy.

My heart weeps for him.

Imo
 
Local news just reported he is still in critical condition.

This family's entire life has changed in an Instant. I am so sorry for them. No one would wish to have a dead child, but the alternative, a child who has severe multiple disabilities, including brain damage, is something that can last for years, decades.

I won't go into the myraid of details, but I know what happens. And this situation either brings a marriage closer, or breaks it up. And usually this stress level is incredible. I hope that the parents reach out for support from other parents and families who have had this same life changing situation.
 
First court appearance tomorrow. Prosecutors asking for $2 million dollars bail. I think the judge will grant that. If granted, there's no way he's going to bail out. His previous addresses in the system are homeless shelters and halfway houses.

Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 24, of Minneapolis is expected to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.

Prosecutors will ask for bail to be set at $2 million.

Man accused of throwing 5-year-old off mall balcony went there to kill adult, complaint says
 
The way the update was worded about him sleeping gives me a little bit of hope that he's responsive enough to determine awake/asleep.

I saw that, but I don't put much stock in that as it's from a family friend. It's intended to be a comforting update that is carefully worded, IMO, to say that he's still alive. In fact, that is how many earlier reports phrased it-- that the victim is "still alive", which implies that death was expected. (He had cpr at the scene, so that's not an unexpected outcome.)

CPR, while necessary, can't fix the underlying cause of the arrest, which is massive blunt trauma. It wasn't a simple problem of an electrical malfunction in his heart. His entire tiny body suffered tremendous trauma from the impact-- every body system was affected. Including probably a severe cardiac contusion, in addition to hemorrhage, skeletal and internal trauma, and most significant, central nervous system trauma (brain and spinal cord). .

If he were conscious, or even breathing at all on his own, that is what the updates would say, IMO.

He is without question on a ventilator, almost certainly in a deep hypothermic and drug induced coma to try to protect and preserve his neuro status, as well as his cardiac status. Massive brain swelling begins to set in just hours after injury, along with significant seizure activity (that can be suppressed with drugs). Multiple fractures, likely, of his head, spine, pelvis, ribs, and long bones.

I'm sorry to be so pessimistic, but this was a 40 foot fall completely un-arrested, essentially onto concrete. It wouldn't matter if he landed feet first, the forces are huge, and he still would have had a huge impact to his head as he crumbled.

50 pounds falling 40 feet with a one foot arrest is 2050 pounds of force. That can shear arteries, shatter solid organs, etc.

Calculate the force of a fall while using the fall protection force calculator
 
Out of respect for the family, I will not say much other than if one looks at the tail end of the PDF/complaint, it is not attempted murder charges, it is murder. I will only say one can read between the lines here--I could be wrong but I agree with some posters above. The family needs time is my thought and who could blame them but by law it likely fits that parameter. No expert but based on something I have seen.

This man is a monster.

So many of us have been in that mall with our children at one point or another. I give the mall execs credit though, it is not being spun, it was readily admitted they had problems with this man before.

My prayers for Landen and his family.
 
The way the update was worded about him sleeping gives me a little bit of hope that he's responsive enough to determine awake/asleep.
The latest update states in part: 'His condition has very little change at this point, but we are hoping to get some good news back from some upcoming tests in the next few days.'
 
As you think about this horror, keep in mind the shops in the mall had only been open about 15 min (10:15 am) when EDA approached Landen in front of Rainforest Café-- which doesn't open till 11 am. The parking ramps and mall concourses are usually open to "mall walkers" at about 9 am. In my experience, several of the coffee shops are open earlier than 10 am, but the vast majority of shops put up their gates at 10. Landen's family and friends must have arrived early for their day at the mall-- perhaps they were checking out Rainforest to make a lunch plan, etc.

This also means the EDA was at the mall very early-- before the shops opened. Every inch of that mall is mapped with cameras-- like a casino level of security. MOA won't disclose all of the security measures they have-- but they have escalated in recent years, especially after the terrorism attack threats to the mall in 2015.

Mall of America reveals extensive security measures

I'm confident LE has obtained the video surveillance of Landen's family arriving, and where they went, as well as EDA's arrival and where he went, what he was doing.
 
Alleged Mall of America Child Attacker Has Record in Chicago



It seems pretty obvious that his violent behavior has been escalating over the past 5-6 years at least. He's only 24. JMO, but I suspect he has a huge record of similar offenses from before he turned 18-- that will be vigorously suppressed. People don't just "turn violent suddenly" when they turn 18.

His probable juvenile record probably doesn't matter, because there are so many violent, impulsive, and erratic crimes since he turned 18. But I am curious if he had any other serious juvenile violent offenses that were minimized as much as the one above.

Ticking time bomb. Chance after chance. No lengthy supervision. Crimes always reduced, minimized, and under-sentenced. Until he did this. Hopefully, he will get LWOP. Even that is not justice, IMO, for what he did to this child and family.

Hoping this monster dies in prison and Rots in Hell
 
I will share that I was at the mall Friday, bringing a group of young teens celebrating a birthday. I hadn't heard what had happened when I arrived, but was astonished that parking was so light on a Friday afternoon. The typical heavy Friday crowds were non-existent, which was so strange. Shortly after we arrived I heard what happened.

Lots and lots of security presence, lots of K-9 dogs. We nearly got back in the car, but the mall crowds were so light at that point that it felt pretty safe, and the other parents were ok with us staying. It was a pretty subdued birthday celebration, but the kids wanted to stay a while.

All 3 levels were cordoned off near the restaurant area, with guards keeping everyone away-- right up to closing time. (Police investigation.) The only way to get around the areas was to go to the bottom level and cut thru the amusement park area.

I typically avoid the mall on weekends, and especially Friday evenings, because of the problems in the past. Teens are not allowed to walk around in the shops, rides, and concourses on weekends alone, without a parent escort because of the problems with fights, vandalism, etc in the past. They have special security guards who bring unaccompanied teens to an office and contact parents-- there are signs about this on the doors and elsewhere. Many people used to use the mall as a "babysitting" service, buying kids a season pass to the rides, and dropping them off for hours at a time. That is much more closely monitored in recent years.

This crime is just unthinkable. The mall is newly renovated, with many "overlooks" to levels below, even in one of the food courts. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up having to put up plexiglass barriers everywhere inside, like hockey barriers, after this horrible event. People fairly regularly fall in the rotunda area, from the escalators, etc, after visiting the nightclubs (drunk). There have been about 20-25 suicides/ attempted suicides, in addition to accidental falls.

The Mall of America, Minnesota's Suicide Hot Spot | City Pages
 
Alleged Mall of America Child Attacker Has Record in Chicago



It seems pretty obvious that his violent behavior has been escalating over the past 5-6 years at least. He's only 24. JMO, but I suspect he has a huge record of similar offenses from before he turned 18-- that will be vigorously suppressed. People don't just "turn violent suddenly" when they turn 18.

His probable juvenile record probably doesn't matter, because there are so many violent, impulsive, and erratic crimes since he turned 18. But I am curious if he had any other serious juvenile violent offenses that were minimized as much as the one above.

Ticking time bomb. Chance after chance. No lengthy supervision. Crimes always reduced, minimized, and under-sentenced. Until he did this. Hopefully, he will get LWOP. Even that is not justice, IMO, for what he did to this child and family.

When I hear about crazy crimes like this, I wonder about an Insanity Defense, because how can anyone sane do something this heinous? I know that he doesn't meet the Mcnaughton Rules.

Throwing random children off a balcony just isn't normal. What is with criminal behavior like this?
 
I saw that, but I don't put much stock in that as it's from a family friend. It's intended to be a comforting update that is carefully worded, IMO, to say that he's still alive. In fact, that is how many earlier reports phrased it-- that the victim is "still alive", which implies that death was expected. (He had cpr at the scene, so that's not an unexpected outcome.)

CPR, while necessary, can't fix the underlying cause of the arrest, which is massive blunt trauma. It wasn't a simple problem of an electrical malfunction in his heart. His entire tiny body suffered tremendous trauma from the impact-- every body system was affected. Including probably a severe cardiac contusion, in addition to hemorrhage, skeletal and internal trauma, and most significant, central nervous system trauma (brain and spinal cord). .

If he were conscious, or even breathing at all on his own, that is what the updates would say, IMO.

He is without question on a ventilator, almost certainly in a deep hypothermic and drug induced coma to try to protect and preserve his neuro status, as well as his cardiac status. Massive brain swelling begins to set in just hours after injury, along with significant seizure activity (that can be suppressed with drugs). Multiple fractures, likely, of his head, spine, pelvis, ribs, and long bones.

I'm sorry to be so pessimistic, but this was a 40 foot fall completely un-arrested, essentially onto concrete. It wouldn't matter if he landed feet first, the forces are huge, and he still would have had a huge impact to his head as he crumbled.

50 pounds falling 40 feet with a one foot arrest is 2050 pounds of force. That can shear arteries, shatter solid organs, etc.

Calculate the force of a fall while using the fall protection force calculator

Thanks for your informed and realistic explanation of his condition. We'll have to continue to pray for this little boy and hope for a miracle.
 
Out of respect for the family, I will not say much other than if one looks at the tail end of the PDF/complaint, it is not attempted murder charges, it is murder. I will only say one can read between the lines here--I could be wrong but I agree with some posters above. The family needs time is my thought and who could blame them but by law it likely fits that parameter. No expert but based on something I have seen.

So very sad, although not at all unexpected. It would certainly be a miracle if he recovered at all. There are probably a lot of friends and family who want to say goodbye....reminiscent of the recent death of Luke Perry (with regard to statements made about him publicly when he never actually regained consciousness).
 

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