( CNN ) -- Authorities arrested at least nine people after a `` series of fights '' at the nation 's biggest shopping mall sent chairs flying and caused after-Christmas shoppers to flee , officials in Minnesota said Tuesday . Police and security officers at the Mall of America arrested a mix of young adults and juveniles after a food-court fight around 4 p.m. Monday broke up into brawls elsewhere in the shopping center , Bloomington Police Department Commander Mark Stehlik said . At one point , police received reports of up to 10 separate fights , he said . Video of one incident showed a man picking up a chair to throw as crowds of shoppers , some screaming , fled a mall food court . The video also showed a group of what appeared to be youths brawling before police officers intervened . Witnesses described a chaotic scene . `` There were drinks thrown on the floor and chairs being thrown everywhere , '' witness Tess Dessalgne told television station KARE . She reported that `` everyone started running toward the fight , '' while the video showed others leaving the area . Another woman told CNN affiliate WCCO that she `` did n't really know what was going on '' when stores unexpectedly began closing down but soon saw police `` pushing us all away from Nordstrom ( department store ) . '' `` Unfortunately , as we have witnessed at shopping sites across the country this week , large groups of individuals can come together and create bad situations , '' mall officials said in a statement . `` It is very unfortunate to see these incidents occurring , especially during the holiday shopping season when families are out spending time together . '' No serious injuries were reported , the statement said . The mall remained open , although some stores closed down temporarily . Some witnesses told WCCO the fights began after reports that rappers Lil ' Wayne and Drake were visiting the mall . `` I 've heard that and some other things as far as speculation . I do n't know that there 's anything to substantiate that , '' Stehlik said . Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fight , he said . `` Frankly , at this time , we do n't really have any idea , and we might never . It 's hard to say what starts a fight , '' he said . The mall responded to a query on Twitter by saying , `` Drake is not here . '' `` There was no shooting , '' the mall tweeted to one person . `` Chairs were thrown in the food court resulting in the loud noise you heard . '' At one point , more than 30 officers were trying to calm the crowd , Stehlik said . He described the series of fights as a `` highly unusual event . '' `` We kind of pushed people out toward one of the exit doors and out of the mall in an attempt to quell the crowd a little bit , '' he said . `` Once we got everybody out , the whole thing kind of just settled down and went back to business as usual . '' The Mall of America describes itself as the largest retail and entertainment complex in the United States . It says it has more than 520 stores , 50 restaurants and attractions that include an aquarium , flight simulator and a spa for children . CNN 's Ashley Hayes and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report .
NEW : Police : At one point , authorities received reports of at least 10 fights . A `` series of fights '' break out at the Mall of America , officials say . A witness says there were `` chairs being thrown everywhere '' The mall describes itself as the nation 's largest .