MINNEAPOLIS -- Good news on Good Friday. A 5-year-old boy is showing signs of recovery after being thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America, according to his GoFundMe page.
The update was shared on Friday, April 19:
The fund has raised nearly $900,000 for the injured child.
Emmanuel Aranda, 24, of Minneapolis, is charged with attempted premeditated first-degree murder in the attack on the child that happened Friday, April 12. The child plunged almost 40 feet and is fighting for his life in a Minneapolis hospital with head trauma and multiple broken bones.
Police say Aranda told them he went to the mall "looking for someone to kill" and chose the boy at random.
Aranda appeared behind a glass partition Tuesday in a courtroom at the Hennepin County jail. He spelled his name and gave his birthdate and address, noting that he had been at a shelter. When asked by the judge whether he had any questions, he said, "Not at all."
Aranda's bail was kept at $2 million and an omnibus hearing was set for May 14.
Aranda has two past convictions for assaults at the mall, both in 2015, and was banned from the mall at one point. Court records show that Aranda had been ordered to undergo psychological evaluation or treatment after those assaults.
Paul Sellers, the public defender appointed to represent Aranda, said his client has been in mental health court before. He urged the Legislature and those who are calling for aggressive retribution to focus on mental health issues.