Washington-An ISIS supporter carried out the stabbing attack that wounded at least eight people at a mall in the U.S. state of Minnesota on Saturday, the news agency Amaq, which is affiliated to the militant group, said.

“The executor of the stabbing attacks in Minnesota was a soldier of ISIS and carried out the operation in response to calls to target the citizens of countries belonging to the coalition,” Amaq said in a statement.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the authenticity of the claim.

A man wearing a private security uniform and armed with at least one knife stabbed eight people at the Crossroads Center mall before he was shot dead by an off-duty police officer, authorities said.

The police added that the attacker asked at least one person if he was a Muslim or not.

St. Cloud Police Chief William Blair Anderson said an off-duty officer confronted and killed the suspect. Anderson said that the suspect reportedly asked at least one victim whether they were Muslim before assaulting them, and referred to Allah during the attacks.

Authorities affirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the attacker has a record of road offenses. According to international websites, there are witnesses who were present during the stabbing in the mall.

Sources added that the police announced that eight people were injured and sent to St. Cloud Hospital, without giving any further information except that their injuries are not life-threatening.