18-Year-Old Arrested Over Alleged Mall of America Attack Plot
An 18-year-old Minnesota man has been arrested after allegedly telling an FBI informant that he was planning a mass-casualty attack at the Mall of America later this month. Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, a U.S. citizen from the Twin Cities area, was taken into custody at gunpoint Tuesday in Richfield, Minnesota, during an arranged meeting to purchase an assault rifle, according to a federal criminal complaint filed Wednesday.
Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson discussed the case at a news conference, saying investigators were able to identify and disrupt the alleged plot before an attack could take place. Rosen said Mohamud had allegedly spoken about killing between 30 and 60 people, while praising FBI agents for intervening before the suspect could act on his plans.
According to the criminal complaint, Mohamud had been in contact with a confidential FBI source through social media and encrypted messaging platforms from December 2024 until his arrest. Investigators allege that during these exchanges, he expressed an interest in traveling to Somalia to join al-Shabaab and fight on behalf of the group or carry out a mass-casualty attack in Minnesota.
Authorities also allege that Mohamud had become increasingly influenced by extremist ideology and expressed support for violence against civilians and people of other faiths. FBI officials said his messages showed an alleged commitment to carrying out an attack and seeking what he described as martyrdom.
The complaint states that the FBI approached Mohamud’s parents in May 2025 after investigators became concerned about his alleged radicalization. Officials said the family did not cooperate with the effort. Rosen subsequently urged parents to take warnings from law enforcement seriously if they believe their children may be becoming involved in extremist activity.
According to court documents, Mohamud later told the confidential source that he did not have sufficient money to travel to Somalia. Investigators allege that he then discussed carrying out an attack in the United States instead. He reportedly considered the Mall of America in Bloomington and Valleyfair amusement park in Shakopee as possible targets and allegedly discussed obtaining firearms before carrying out an attack.
Authorities further allege that Mohamud specifically targeted the Mall of America because he believed it was Jewish-owned. The complaint says he referred to a deadly antisemitic attack in Sydney, Australia, as one of the incidents that influenced him. Court documents also allege that he shared a video on Discord in which he pledged allegiance to ISIS.
The arrest brought the alleged plot to an end before authorities say the suspect could acquire the weapon and carry out the planned attack. The federal case remains ongoing, and the allegations contained in the criminal complaint have not yet been proven in court.
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