US teen charged over alleged IS-inspired mall shooting plot

In a federal courtroom in New York, an 18-year-old man named Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud appeared before a judge on Wednesday, charged with alleged plans to carry out a mass shooting at a Minnesota mall in support of ISIS. FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest of Mohamud, who was allegedly caught in a sting operation after purchasing an AK-47 rifle and ammunition from an undercover agent.

Mohamud, from Richfield, Minnesota, allegedly aimed to kill between 30 and 60 people at the Mall of America, a venue he claimed was Jewish-owned. He is accused of sharing his intentions with an FBI source through hundreds of messages exchanged since 2024, including a selfie-style video where Mohamud pledged allegiance to ISIS. His alleged targets included other IS-inspired attacks, such as the 2016 Pulse Nightclub Shooting in Florida and a 2025 shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia.

Mohamud allegedly chose October 24 as the date for his planned attack, targeting Asians and other non-Muslims during a Hmong Arts Celebration at the mall. In the criminal complaint, he is said to have taken significant steps to plot the murder of innocent people in the name of ISIS. US Attorney Daniel Rosen of Minnesota confirmed that Mohamud is charged with knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition to commit a federal crime of terrorism.