Federal authorities say they thwarted an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at Minnesota’s Mall of America after arresting an 18-year-old accused of obtaining an AK-47 and ammunition for an attack he allegedly intended to carry out later this month.
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud of Richfield, Minnesota, was arrested Tuesday and charged Wednesday with knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition for the purpose of committing a federal crime of terrorism. Prosecutors allege he intended to carry out a mass-casualty attack at the Mall of America in support of ISIS.
US Attorney Daniel Rosen said Mohamud discussed killing between 30 and 60 people and sought to acquire the weapons necessary to carry out the attack.
“Mohamud has been charged with acquiring an AK-47 assault rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition in order to commit a federal crime of terrorism, including attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization,” Rosen said.
The investigation began in December 2024, when Mohamud allegedly started communicating with a confidential source about his desire to travel overseas and fight for terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al-Shabaab.
According to the criminal complaint, Mohamud repeatedly discussed traveling to Somalia but said he lacked the money to make the trip. He eventually turned his attention to carrying out an attack inside Minnesota instead.
By July 2026, investigators say Mohamud had begun discussing an attack at the Mall of America. He allegedly told the confidential source that he wanted to purchase firearms and target the mall because he believed it was owned by Jews, saying he wanted to kill 30 to 60 people.
Mohamud allegedly identified October 24 as the date for the attack after learning that the Mall of America would host a Hmong Arts Celebration that day. The event is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. in the mall’s Huntington Bank Rotunda.
Prosecutors say Mohamud also recorded a video pledging allegiance to ISIS and sent propaganda videos to the confidential source. He allegedly cited previous mass-casualty attacks, including the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, the Bondi Beach attack in Australia and the New Year’s Day vehicle attack in New Orleans, as examples of the type of violence he wanted to emulate.
In September, Mohamud allegedly expressed a desire to kill “kuffar,” a term commonly used to refer to non-Muslims, and continued discussing his plans for the Mall of America attack.
The FBI ultimately arranged a meeting between Mohamud and an undercover employee posing as someone affiliated with ISIS.
On October 6, the undercover agent sold Mohamud an AK-47-style rifle, four 30-round magazines and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition. The FBI had rendered the rifle inoperable before the transaction.
Mohamud allegedly paid approximately $600 in cash and reaffirmed that he intended to use the weapons to shoot people at the Mall of America. Agents arrested him shortly afterward.
FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson said investigators believed Mohamud was fully committed to the alleged plan.
“Mohamud allegedly sought martyrdom in carrying out his plans to murder innocent civilians,” Dotson said at a news conference.
Rosen said the case demonstrates that the threat posed by individuals seeking to carry out attacks in support of ISIS remains active.
The Mall of America said it maintains multiple layers of security and will continue working with local, state and federal law enforcement following the arrest.
Mohamud made his initial court appearance Wednesday and remains in custody.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Bloomington Police Department, with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation.
