On or about May 29, 2026, officers responded to a report of an assault at the Karmel Mall on Pillsbury Avenue South in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The reporting party told dispatch that a security officer had been assaulted with a knife. The reporting party told dispatch that the suspect had been pepper sprayed and tased, and he was detained in the security office at the mall. The reporting party described the suspect as a black male, approximately 35 years old, wearing a maroon, white, and blue polo with blue jeans.
The suspect was later identified as SALAH KAMAL SALAH (“Defendant” herein). Officers arrived on scene and met with three males – P. N. (“Victim” herein), L. M. (“Witness 1” herein), and N. G. (“Witness 2” herein). Victim, Witness 1, and Witness 2 are all security guards at the Karmel Mall. Victim [NAME REDACTED] had approached him while he was near the intersection of Lake Street West and Pillsbury Avenue South. Victim [NAME REDACTED] was complaining that security guards had placed a sticker on his vehicle for being parked in a “no parking” area.
Victim [NAME REDACTED], so he pushed Defendant back. Victim said Defendant then pulled out a retractable knife and started slashing at Victim. Victim said the knife struck his body camera located on his security vest, and his body camera fell off of his vest due to this. Victim attempted to use his taser on Defendant but was unsuccessful. Witness 2 sprayed his pepper spray towards Defendant, but Defendant continued to slash his knife in Victim’s direction. Witness 1 deployed his taser and struck Defendant in the torso.
Defendant fell to the ground, and the security guards handcuffed Defendant. They then escorted Defendant to the security officer, where he remained until Minneapolis police arrived on scene. The security officers told Minneapolis police that the knife Defendant had used was sitting on a desk in the officer. Minneapolis officers recovered the knife, which was a retractable knife sitting on the desk with the blade out. Defendant told Minneapolis officers that the security officers assaulted him, struck him several times, and used pepper spray and tasers on him multiple times.
Defendant was transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center (“HCMC” herein). Once cleared by HCMC staff, Defendant was transported to the Hennepin County jail. Defendant remains in custody.
