Federal prosecutors in Minnesota charge man with terrorism after they say he planned to target the Mall of America

By Whitney Wild, CNN

(CNN) — Federal officials in Minnesota have charged a man with a federal terrorism charge after they say he planned a shooting at the Mall of America using an AK-47 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, according to court records unsealed Wednesday.

According to a federal complaint, an FBI investigation determined Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, planned to attack the mall in Bloomington, and appeared to admire other terrorist-related mass casualty events, such as the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia and the New Orleans attack in January 2025.

Mohamud was arrested Tuesday and charged with planning a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS later this month, officials said in a Wednesday news conference.

CNN is trying to determine if Mohamud has representation.

According to the complaint, Mohamud knowingly received a firearm and ammunition, including a Norinco AK-47 assault rifle and approximately 200 live rounds of ammunition, to commit a felony and a federal crime of terrorism.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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