Sheikhdoon Abdullahi – An 18-year-old faces federal charges after allegedly plotting an attack on the Mall of America following the purchase of an AK-47.
The weight of the federal complaint against 18-year-old Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud rests on a chillingly specific admission: a desire to target the Mall of America to inflict mass casualties. On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office formally charged Mohamud with one count of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition with the intent of committing a federal crime of terrorism.
For months. the trajectory of this investigation moved through encrypted messaging apps and TikTok. where authorities say Mohamud maintained contact with an informant. Throughout these exchanges, he allegedly pledged his allegiance to ISIS and detailed his motivations for selecting the Bloomington landmark. In court filings. he articulated a violent rationale for the attack. citing the mall’s ownership and a desire to harm Jewish people. referencing a separate incident at Bondi Beach in Australia. His stated intent was to bypass complex explosives in favor of an assault rifle. aiming to kill between 30 and 60 people with 260 rounds of ammunition.
Federal agents began tracking these communications as far back as December 2024. By May 2025, investigators arrived at Mohamud’s home to interview him. He was 17 at the time and reportedly at school. His father ultimately declined to speak with agents, directing them to legal counsel.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen confirmed that the situation escalated from an investigation to an emergency intervention this week. The shift was triggered by Mohamud’s acquisition of an AK-47. Believing he had become an immediate threat, authorities moved to arrest him on Tuesday.
The investigation highlights a documented path of radicalization. Beyond his stated plans for the mall, Mohamud expressed intentions to travel to Somalia to join a terror organization. While born in the United States, his family ties trace back to Somalia. He is currently being held as the legal process begins to address the threat intercepted before it could reach the shopping center floors.
Mall of America Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud federal charges terrorism Minneapolis FBI