Federal authorities arrested an 18-year-old Twin Cities resident on October 6, 2026, accusing him of plotting a mass-casualty terrorist attack at the Mall of America on behalf of ISIS. Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, a U.S. citizen living in Richfield, Minnesota, allegedly planned to kill between 30 and 60 people during a family cultural festival in late October.
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud Arrested in Richfield
Federal law enforcement agents arrested Mohamud at gunpoint on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in the parking lot of a Richfield park. According to a federal criminal complaint filed on October 7 in U.S. District Court, the arrest occurred during an arranged meeting where an undercover employee sold Mohamud a Norinco AK-47 assault rifle (model Mac-90 Sporter), four 30-round magazines, and approximately 200 live rounds of 7.62×39-caliber ammunition for $600 (cbsnews.com, usatoday.com). Mohamud had taken the weapon and ammunition from the vehicle before federal agents converged on him (cbsnews.com).
Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson detailed the case during an afternoon news conference on October 7 (cbsnews.com). Rosen praised federal investigators for detecting and disrupting the threat before Mohamud could execute his plan (cbsnews.com). FBI Director Kash Patel also issued a statement confirming the arrest and emphasizing the agency’s commitment to neutralizing domestic terror threats (usatoday.com).
Mohamud Pledged Allegiance to ISIS During FBI Surveillance
Investigators stated that Mohamud had been on the FBI’s radar since December 2024 (fox9.com, cbsnews.com). From December 2024 until his arrest, a confidential human source exchanged hundreds of messages with Mohamud across multiple social media and encrypted messaging platforms (cbsnews.com). Court documents show that Mohamud sent a video on Discord in which he pledged allegiance to ISIS (cbsnews.com).
In early communications, Mohamud expressed a desire to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabaab and commit attacks abroad (cbsnews.com). By July 2026, he told the confidential informant that he lacked sufficient funds for international travel and shifted his focus to domestic targets, stating he would attack in the United States “for the sake of Allah only” (cbsnews.com). Federal prosecutors noted that Mohamud expressed a blind hatred of people of other faiths, routinely using the term “kuffar” to describe non-Muslims (cbsnews.com, usatoday.com).
The FBI attempted to intervene earlier in the investigation. In May 2025, federal agents contacted Mohamud’s parents to warn them that their son was becoming radicalized, but the parents were uncooperative and rebuffed the outreach, according to U.S. Attorney Rosen (cbsnews.com).
Targeting the Mall of America and the Hmong Arts Celebration
Court documents reveal that Mohamud considered multiple high-traffic locations in Minnesota, including the Valleyfair amusement park in Shakopee and the Mall of America in Bloomington (cbsnews.com). He ultimately selected the Mall of America because it is owned by a Jewish family and because he was inspired by past antisemitic attacks, including a 2025 incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia (cbsnews.com, usatoday.com). He also studied footage of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, telling his contact that he intended to “just walk in and shoot” (cbsnews.com, usatoday.com).
For the timing of the attack, Mohamud targeted October 24, 2026, specifically to coincide with the Hmong Arts Celebration, a family-focused cultural festival hosted at the mall for its second year (fox9.com, cbsnews.com). When the confidential informant asked why he chose that particular date, Mohamud replied via messaging app: “Yeah its a bunch of Asians, Chinese, Vietnamese and other non-believers celebrating” (fox9.com). He then sent a link to the festival event page (fox9.com).
Event Organizers Praise Law Enforcement for Preventing Tragedy
Event organizers and mall management responded to the thwarted plot with statements emphasizing safety and community resilience (fox9.com). Lue Thao, an organizer for the Hmong Arts Celebration, called the news heartbreaking and emotional, noting that the festival was designed to bring diverse communities together through art and culture (fox9.com). I am incredibly grateful to the FBI, local law enforcement and everyone involved in preventing what could have been a devastating tragedy,
Thao said in a statement published by FOX 9 (fox9.com). While this news is frightening, we don’t want fear and uncertainty to overshadow the positive work happening within our community.
Mall of America officials reiterated that security remains their highest priority (fox9.com). We maintain multiple layers of security, both visible and behind the scenes, and we will continue to work closely with local, state and federal law enforcement partners,
the mall said in a statement (fox9.com).
Mohamud Faces Federal Terrorism Charges in Court
Mohamud made his initial appearance in federal court on October 7, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright (usatoday.com). He faces federal charges of receiving a firearm and ammunition to commit a federal terrorism crime in support of ISIS (usatoday.com). Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg and U.S. Attorney Rosen are prosecuting the case.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Arrest
What specific charges does Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud face?
Federal prosecutors charged Mohamud with receiving a firearm and ammunition to commit a federal terrorism crime, as outlined in court documents filed on October 7, 2026 (usatoday.com).
How much did the undercover AK-47 transaction cost?
According to the FBI complaint, an undercover employee sold Mohamud the Norinco AK-47 assault rifle, four 30-round magazines, and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition for $600 during a sting operation in Richfield (usatoday.com).
What inspired the suspect’s choice of date and location?
Court filings state Mohamud targeted the Mall of America because of its Jewish ownership and was inspired by prior mass casualty incidents, selecting October 24, 2026, specifically because the Hmong Arts Celebration would draw large crowds of non-Muslim attendees (cbsnews.com, usatoday.com).