Federal authorities have arrested an 18-year-old Minnesota man accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at the Mall of America, allegedly intending to kill as many as 60 people in an attack motivated by antisemitism and radical Islamic ideology.

Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, a U.S.-born citizen of Somali descent, was arrested Tuesday after purchasing an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines, and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI agent for $600. The weapon had been rendered inoperable before the transaction.

The Target: A Community Celebration

According to the Justice Department, Mohamud planned to carry out the massacre on October 24, targeting a Hmong Arts Celebration at the Bloomington shopping complex.

Investigators said Mohamud specifically selected the mall because he believed it was Jewish-owned, expressing a desire to kill between 30 and 60 people and frighten others away from the property.

Months of Surveillance

Federal authorities had monitored Mohamud since December 2024, documenting hundreds of communications in which he expressed support for ISIS, pledged allegiance to the terrorist organization, and discussed traveling to Somalia to join Islamic militants.

Unable to finance overseas travel, Mohamud allegedly turned his attention toward carrying out an attack on American soil.

The suspect reportedly expressed admiration for previous terrorist atrocities, including the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando and the 2025 New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.

“This individual allegedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans.”— FBI Director Kash Patel

Charges and Court

Mohamud appeared in federal court Wednesday, charged with knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition to commit a federal crime of terrorism. He remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The foiled attack underscores the continuing threat of ISIS-inspired radicalization inside the United States, particularly as investigators uncovered an alleged plot combining jihadist ideology, antisemitism, and plans to murder innocent civilians at one of America’s busiest shopping destinations.