RAPID CITY, S.D. – Our of an abundance of caution, Rushmore Mall in Rapid City closed its doors early Monday afternoon, officials say.
The mall closed at 12:30 p.m. and will remain closed the rest of the day.
Mall General Manager Sandy Brockhouse stated; “We closed the mall to take every precaution for the safety and well-being of all shoppers and tenants.”
Brockhouse says there are no particular threats against the mall but they would “rather be overcautious.”
The closure follows a night of rioting in Sioux Falls Sunday. Mayor Paul TenHaken had blamed minors for the violence in a press conference today, but there were still worries of rioters moving west to Rapid City.
In fact, police in Rapid City were preparing in case that worry became reality.
Some businesses in the downtown area say they were advised to bring in all lose items, such as flower pots, tables or chairs inside.
Business owners were also told to remove high value items from windows and be sure to remove or put in a safey any large amounts of cash.
The governor has said she will mobilize the National Guard wherever they are needed should any violence break out.
Monday afternoon, community leaders denounced the violence that has been occurring across America at Main Street Square in Rapid City.
A group of law enforcement, Native American elders and activists, church leaders and others gathered as a sign of unity. All present said they recognize the tragic death of George Floyd and stand with peaceful protesters.
“We will not let people destroy something we are working so hard to fix,” explains Erik Brings White, Community Outreach Coordinator. “We are a community working hard on race relations and a positive, working relationship with law enforcement.”
“We ask for calm at this challenging time,” says Sheriff Kevin Thom. “We expect nothing less than the highest integrity from our law enforcement. When it comes to public safety, we are all in this together.”
“We continue to pursue increased dialogue and proactive approaches to community policing,” says RCPD Chief Karl Jegeris. “Violence is not the answer.”
“The word of God tells us we will overcome evil with good, not violence” explains Bishop Troy Carr, pastor of Faith Temple Church of God and Christ. “We don’t repay evil with evil. We repay evil with good.”
Earlier in the day, Rapid City police confronted a group of some 20 people at the Rushmore Mall who stated they were there to protect businesses from possible rioting and looting.
There have been posts peppered across social media today about groups planning on protesting in other South Dakota cities. In the Rushmore Mall incident, Rapid City police talked with the group that reportedly belonged to a private anti-protester Facebook group.
The Facebook group members claimed that a larger group of people protesting the death of George Floyd were being bused in to Rapid City. They also claimed that these protesters aimed to loot and destroy an unknown number of businesses within the Mall.
RCPD responded to their presence with pleas for peace. RCPD Lt. Andy Becker created a dialogue with the anti-protesters to convince them to allow officers to handle the situation.
The group eventually agreed to the officer’s pleas and dispersed.
