Man Arrested for Alleged Mass Shooting Plot
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April 26, 2025 by David Jones
A 24-year-old Minnesota man, Mohamed Adan Mohamed, was apprehended on April 17, following a shoplifting incident that police believe was part of a larger, more sinister plot. Authorities allege that Mohamed was planning to execute a religiously-motivated mass shooting within a day of his arrest.
Mohamed was arrested after he fled from a Mankato sporting goods store with over $2,000 worth of ammunition magazines, body armor, and bear spray, as per the charging documents from Blue Earth County. Store employees reported that Mohamed had been wandering around the store in an oversized jacket, medical mask, and hat, and was seen taking expensive items from the shelves without checking their prices.
When confronted by the store staff, Mohamed claimed he was purchasing supplies for his AR-style rifle. Police were alerted about a suspicious individual at the store, but before they could arrive, Mohamed had already fled the scene with the stolen items. He managed to evade store security, jumped into a license plate-less minivan, and sped off, narrowly missing a pedestrian, according to the charging documents.
Mohamed left behind a shopping list titled “Survival Gear List with Alternative” at the scene. The list included items such as a sleeping bag, gun magazines, pepper spray, knives, lighters, and bow and arrows. One of the officers who responded to the call recognized the list as similar to one from a recent investigation involving a local man who had been posting videos of himself brandishing firearms at the camera.
The hashtags on these videos, allegedly posted by Mohamed, included “deathtoamerikkan&israelliImperialism,” as per the police report. Investigators traced a Sienna minivan, similar to the one seen at the crime scene, to Mohamed’s residence in St. Peter. They concluded that there were strong indications that Mohamed was preparing to carry out an attack within the next 24 hours, potentially resulting in mass casualties.
Upon searching Mohamed’s residence, investigators discovered an assault rifle and two 3D-printed guns. Mohamed was subsequently arrested at his home. Neighbors expressed sadness but not surprise at Mohamed’s arrest. A former classmate remembered Mohamed as having struggled with mental health issues since high school.
One neighbor, Dunia, told CBS Minnesota, “We grew up in St. Peter together, and it’s heartbreaking. We just started seeing Mohamed talking to himself, not socializing with us, with the kids.” She added, “He has a very beautiful heart. He’s a really good guy. It’s just, he’s not mentally, physically there right now at the moment.”
Mohamed has been charged with felony theft and threats of violence, both of which could result in sentences of up to five years in prison.