Arrest Made in Foiled Mass Shooting Scheme
Federal authorities arrested an 18-year-old Twin Cities resident in Richfield, Minnesota, on Tuesday after he allegedly attempted to purchase an assault rifle to carry out a mass casualty attack at the Mall of America. Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson announced the arrest during a Wednesday news conference, stating that investigators disrupted the plot before the suspect could execute his intentions. [1] [2]
Investigation and Online Communications
According to a federal criminal complaint, the suspect, Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, communicated with an FBI confidential human source through social media and encrypted messaging applications starting in December 2024. Prosecutors said Mohamud initially expressed interest in traveling to Somalia to join al-Shabaab before shifting focus in late 2025 to domestic attacks, pledging allegiance to ISIS in a Discord video and citing inspiration from previous mass violence events. Authorities stated Mohamud intended to target the Hmong Arts Celebration at the mall on October 24 and hoped to kill between 30 and 60 people. [1] [2]
Weapons Purchase and Law Enforcement Response
Investigators arranged a Tuesday meeting in a Richfield park parking lot where an undercover employee provided Mohamud with a Norinco AK-47 assault rifle, four magazines, and 200 rounds of ammunition. Agents took him into custody at gunpoint immediately after he exited the vehicle with the weapon. Rosen noted that federal agents had previously attempted to warn Mohamud's parents about his radicalization in May 2025, but those efforts were rebuffed, prompting a public call for families to heed federal warnings regarding extremism. [1] [2]
Sources
- Man eyed Minnesota's Mall of America for attack, pledging allegiance to ISIS, federal prosecutors say — 2026-10-07T11:01:00-0500
- Man arrested in foiled ISIS-inspired mass shooting plot at Mall of America, US authorities say — 2026-10-07T17:46:10.000Z
Featured image: File:Mall of America 18 – exterior.jpg by Runner1928 / CC BY-SA 4.0. Licensed image; cropped or resized for display.