Riot at Train station St. Paul.

[dale560]

Am in process of getting 12 year old son back to Rugby ND. So he can go back to school. Left wife in hospital tonite at 8:30 Ubers to train station. A Halal vendor event was taking up the entire station area. A few benches against wall to sit on. Our train was due at 10:50 but is delayed now a bit. Anyways about 1000 to 3000 people stampeded when they thought shots were fired. They ended up getting door open to train escalator. We got up against the wall and avoided the crush. The conductor just said 6000 people were in building. Myself, my son and 3 other passengers were waiting at end of area and it was scary.

[Board Shortener Tom]

This sort of thing is why I left the city. Crazy times......

[lotsaIHCs]

I haven't been to Minneapolis/St. Paul in about 8-10 years. It was getting sketchy the last time I was there. From what I've seen lately the crazies have gone all out insane. Hopefully I never have to go back there. 

[dale560]

1 hour ago, lotsaIHCs said:

I haven't been to Minneapolis/St. Paul in about 8-10 years. It was getting sketchy the last time I was there. From what I've seen lately the crazies have gone all out insane. Hopefully I never have to go back there. 

The train station is the refurbished old union station in downtown St.Paul . It was designed years ago to have access to 6 trains under the station. So you are basically two stories up when you are in waiting area. Waiting area is about maybe 80 to 100 feet wide by 400 to 600 feet long. They had a Halal food and shopping event curtained off in the entire hall. Leaving a 25 foot aisle for Amtrak passengers to access train gate. The event was in full swing when we arrived about 9 pm by Uber for the train at 10 :50. It was loud but not out of hand. Something scared the crowd of mostly young women and some men in their late teens early 20s. They ran towards exits and broke open train gate doors to the main track area. We were lucky to be in a bench against the wall with a big hold railroad  furniture relic next to us. The older couple and some young Somali girls hid in recessed window opening and bench opening behind me. Crowd dispersed or opened up after a couple minutes. Than stampeders again but the St. Paul police were on scene then and pushed everybody out of station. Onto streets to regain control. The young Somali girls and a few of the guys were very polite and apologized profusely for the commotion. They were very scared and were standing behind a big old white guy trying to keep my kid safe. There had to be 20 or so girls in the group standing behind me. Again they  were very grateful and apologetic. From what I gathered this was a gathering of younger people to shop at booths almost like a giant craft fair here in North Dakota. But they had clothing and latest fro fro drinks at the booths.

[dale560]

Here are more pics if you see the wood f furniture along wall next to seats. That is what shielded us first. Then they all tucked into that window opening behind seats. There was black curtains on poles cordoning off area to begin. When stampede started they just all tipped over with onslaught of people. Seen a Facebook post of a police officer running up entrance stairs two stories with ar15 drawn. Original reports were gunshots fired. Those guys gained control quickly

[acem]

Glad you are safe.

Panicked people are dangerous.

The fire at the Coconut Grove Night Club in 1942 killed 500 people as they panicked to escape a fire.  They pushed against both sides of a revolving door to get out among other things.  

https://www.history.com/articles/the-tragic-story-of-americas-deadliest-nightclub-fire

That fire changed fire codes around the country. 

 

[dale560]

3 hours ago, acem said:

Glad you are safe.

Panicked people are dangerous.

The fire at the Coconut Grove Night Club in 1942 killed 500 people as they panicked to escape a fire.  They pushed against both sides of a revolving door to get out among other things.  

https://www.history.com/articles/the-tragic-story-of-americas-deadliest-nightclub-fire

That fire changed fire codes around the country. 

 

About ten minutes before the stampede I was wondering what are they going to do if a fire breaks out. The escape routes were all the other end of building.

[Tad Wicks]

So many South and Central Americans have moved in there it doesn't even look like Somalia anymore😀😀😀

[nate]

Glad you are ok!    It is sad the the crap hole that Minneapolis and St Paul have turned into.   

[dale560]

The sad part is I am headed back there tonight. This was just a quick trip planned before wife’s surgery to get little guy back to school here. His sister and Uncle , my brother, grandma and neighbors are all going to watch little guy until  wife and I get back. Plan is to take Amtrak tonite to St. Paul hop on the green metro line to Minneapolis east bank stop and walk to hospital. Hopefully car is still parked in ramp at hospital. 

[Wes806]

1 hour ago, dale560 said:

The sad part is I am headed back there tonight. This was just a quick trip planned before wife’s surgery to get little guy back to school here. His sister and Uncle , my brother, grandma and neighbors are all going to watch little guy until  wife and I get back. Plan is to take Amtrak tonite to St. Paul hop on the green metro line to Minneapolis east bank stop and walk to hospital. Hopefully car is still parked in ramp at hospital. 

GLad y'all are ok. Hopefully thimg will be  better for you tonight.

[dale560]

37 minutes ago, Wes806 said:

GLad y'all are ok. Hopefully thimg will be  better for you tonight.

It was actually ok last night when it settled down. Watching pics or videos on Facebook of the ruckus that started it and  one of the kids with dreadlocks and black clothes that was throwing punches was in and out of curtains with a buddy many times in front of us.

[vtfireman85]

Glad you’re both safe Dale. Personally I refuse to be told that people who behave like you witnessed are the victims, and the rest of us are the problem. Keep your head on a swivel, and hopefully the Mrs is feeling better soon. 

[dale560]

41 minutes ago, vtfireman85 said:

Glad you’re both safe Dale. Personally I refuse to be told that people who behave like you witnessed are the victims, and the rest of us are the problem. Keep your head on a swivel, and hopefully the Mrs is feeling better soon. 

She is turning the corner in recovering. Yesterday they moved her to regular hospital room and hopefully discharge tomorrow afternoon. Then we have to stay local for a while. 

[Tad Wicks]

I hope the best for your family

[Rawleigh99]

Dang Dale, sounds like being at the Haj in Arabia!  Definitely dangerous. I'm glad you and your boy made it out safely. 

Good news on your wife. I hope her improvement continues at good speed.

[lorenzo]

I’ll never forget the time I was in Paris trying to board a train for Brussels Belgian when a riot broke out in the train station.

The station employees were so used to this kind of thing going on that they just reacted, instantly slamming doors, closing gates, closing ticket windows. I ran out of there as fast as I could, and they were slamming gates and doors as I was leaving. They had that place shut down within seconds of that riot breaking out. It was just like routine for them every day thing.