An 18-year-old Minnesota man accused of planning a deadly ISIS-inspired shooting at the Mall of America has been arrested after a nearly two-year FBI investigation uncovered an alleged plot to murder dozens of innocent shoppers.
Federal prosecutors say Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, of Richfield, Minnesota, wanted to kill as many as 60 people at the massive shopping center in Bloomington during a cultural celebration later this month.
The chilling plan allegedly included targeting Asian Americans, non-Muslims and other unsuspecting visitors, with investigators claiming the teenager hoped to carry out an attack similar to some of the deadliest acts of terrorism in recent history.
But federal agents stepped in before the alleged plot could become reality.
Mohamud was arrested Tuesday, October 6, after handing an undercover FBI employee approximately $600 in cash for an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines and about 200 rounds of ammunition, according to the Department of Justice.
Unbeknownst to Mohamud, the person selling him the weapon was an undercover federal agent posing as an ISIS supporter. The FBI had also disabled the rifle before the transaction.
Authorities say Mohamud confirmed during the exchange that he intended to use the weapon to shoot people at the Mall of America.
He was taken into custody shortly afterward.
The arrest marked the end of an investigation that began in December 2024, when Mohamud, who was still a teenager in high school, allegedly started exchanging hundreds of messages with an FBI confidential source.
According to a federal criminal complaint, he initially expressed interest in traveling to Somalia to fight alongside a terrorist organization.
However, investigators say his plans eventually shifted toward carrying out an attack on American soil because he lacked the money to travel overseas.
By July 2026, Mohamud had allegedly settled on the Mall of America as his target.
Prosecutors say he claimed the shopping center was owned by Jewish people and expressed a desire to kill between 30 and 60 people, hoping the violence would frighten others away from visiting.
The allegations became even more disturbing as investigators monitored his communications throughout August and September.
Federal authorities say Mohamud discussed purchasing a firearm, recruiting accomplices and carrying out the massacre in support of ISIS, the terrorist organization responsible for numerous deadly attacks around the world.
He also allegedly recorded a video of himself pledging allegiance to ISIS and shared extremist propaganda with the confidential source.
Investigators say Mohamud specifically mentioned the June 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida, the deadly New Year’s Day 2025 attack in New Orleans and the December 2025 mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia as examples of the violence he wanted to imitate.
By September, authorities say he had selected October 24 as the date of his planned attack.
The timing was particularly alarming.
According to the complaint, Mohamud wanted to strike during a Hmong Arts Celebration at the Mall of America, where he anticipated large crowds of Asian Americans and other visitors.
The Hmong are an ethnic group with a substantial community in Minnesota, making the celebration a significant cultural gathering.
Prosecutors allege Mohamud discussed targeting people he described as “kuffar,” an Arabic term referring to nonbelievers, while sharing information about the upcoming celebration with the FBI source.
The Mall of America is one of the country’s largest shopping and entertainment destinations, drawing millions of visitors annually. An attack during a crowded public event could have placed families, employees and tourists in immediate danger.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said investigators prevented a potential tragedy by identifying the threat and intervening before anyone was harmed.
He described Mohamud as a radicalized young man who had allegedly taken substantial steps toward murdering innocent people in the name of ISIS.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson described the messages uncovered during the investigation as “chilling,” saying they revealed an obsession with extremist violence and a willingness to kill people because of their religious beliefs.
FBI Director Kash Patel also praised the operation, saying federal agents had stopped an individual who allegedly obtained a weapon for a mass-casualty attack.
Following the arrest, Mall of America officials addressed concerns about visitor safety, emphasizing that the property maintains multiple layers of security and continues working closely with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
The case has also raised questions about how young people become radicalized online and how quickly extremist rhetoric can escalate into alleged plans for real-world violence.
Federal officials say Mohamud’s communications stretched across multiple social media platforms and encrypted messaging applications, illustrating the challenges investigators face when tracking potential threats.
Mohamud appeared in federal court Wednesday, October 7, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.
He faces one federal count of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition intended for use in a federal crime of terrorism. He remains in custody, with another hearing scheduled for October 19.
The investigation involved the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Bloomington Police Department, with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation.
Federal prosecutors Ryan White and Benjamin Bejar are handling the case.
For now, the alleged October 24 attack has been disrupted, sparing the Mall of America from what investigators believe could have been a devastating massacre.
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