Man Stabbed 8 People At Minnesota Mall, Shot By Off-Duty Cop

The man who went on a stabbing rampage before he was killed by an off-duty cop in St. Cloud also asked at least one customer if they were Muslim.

A Minnesota mall was thrown into panic on Saturday when a man dressed as a private security guard went on a stabbing rampage that injured 8.

Police in St. Cloud said the attacker referenced "Allah" at least once and asked one customer at the Crossroads Center if they were Muslim and on Monday authorities were investigating it as a possible act of terrorism.

The stabber has been identified by authorities as Dahir Aden, a student at St. Cloud State University who worked as a private security guard at an appliance store near the mall.

An off-duty cop from a precinct outside St. Cloud became the hero of the day when he shot and killed the Aden before anyone could be seriously hurt.

Read: Explosive Device Detonates Along Marine Corps Charity Run Route

Of the 8 people injured, just one was admitted to the hospital and that person is expected to recover.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said Aden lunged at part-time police officer in Avon, Minnesota Jason Falconer, who fired shots at Aden. The stabber reportedly got up three times before he died.

Kleis applauded Falconer for preventing further injuries. "His heroic actions are exemplary," Kleis said.

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"We will be diligent and get to the bottom of this," St. Cloud Police Chief William Blair Anderson said. "Starting tomorrow, things won't be the same here."

Aden, a student at St. Cloud State University, moved to the U.S. from Kenya at age 2, the Washington Post reports.

His parents reportedly said they do not know their son's motivation for the attack. However

Saturday saw a string of startling attacks in public places, including explosives that detonated along a charity run route on the New Jersey shore and one that rocked Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.

Watch: Teen Loses Foot After Stepping On Explosive in Central Park