A man pleads guilty in an attack on a boy in a shopping mall and faces 19 years old

MINNEAPOLIS – A man who allegedly told investigators that he had gone to the Mall of America "in search of someone to kill" pleaded guilty to throwing a 5-year-old boy out of the house. A third floor balcony and risk 19 years in prison.

Emmanuel Aranda of Minneapolis pleaded guilty to attempted first degree murder with premeditation during the April 12th attack. The child suffered trauma to the head and multiple fractures, but survived.

Aranda, 24, will be sentenced on June 3rd. His plea agreement calls on prosecutors to drop any component related to aggravated circumstances, which could have resulted in another year of prison. Attorney Cheri Ann Townsend said the boy's family backed the plea agreement.

Police arrested Aranda moments after the attack while he was waiting to board a light rail at the mall, and said he had quickly confessed to committing l & # 39; attack.

A criminal complaint filed shortly after the attack, said Aranda, told the police that he was sorry to have been rejected by a woman at the mall and that he " was looking for someone to kill "when he went there.

In 2015, he had already been convicted of assaulting the mall twice. He had been banned from the property at some point. Court records showed that Aranda had been sentenced to undergo psychological assessment or treatment after the assaults, and his lawyer, Paul Sellers, said that Aranda had appeared in a psychiatric court.

Aranda, wearing an orange jumpsuit, spoke softly during Tuesday's hearing, while answering with a yes or no to questions aimed at making sure he understands it well. what he admits.

The child diveed nearly 20 meters and suffered head trauma and multiple fractures. His family issued a statement in late April that he was alert and was no longer in critical condition. On Monday, the family said that he was continuing to heal.