Senator Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic candidate for Minnesota governor, expressed her appreciation for law enforcement on Wednesday following the arrest of an 18-year-old man who was allegedly planning an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at the Mall of America.
“I’m thankful for the brave actions of law enforcement that averted a mass shooting and a potential terrorist attack at the Mall of America,” she stated. “This incident underscores the necessity for significant coordinated investments in anti-terrorism efforts and local law enforcement to prevent incidents like this. We need to confront terrorism and violent crime head-on, collaborating with federal authorities and local police to ensure the safety of Minnesotans.”
Having served Minnesota in the US Senate since 2007, Klobuchar is contesting against Republican Lisa Demuth, the Minnesota House Speaker, in the gubernatorial election scheduled for November.
Her remarks followed the announcement by federal authorities regarding the arrest of Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, age 18, who, according to investigators, expressed allegiance to ISIS and discussed executing a mass shooting at the Mall of America.
Federal court documents revealed that Mohamud allegedly spent months planning the attack prior to purchasing an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines, and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI agent on Tuesday.
The rifle had been made inoperable, but the ammunition was live.
FBI Director Kash Patel commented that Mohamud “allegedly obtained a weapon he intended to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but thanks to the FBI, he was arrested and his plans were thwarted.”
President Donald Trump also commended the FBI’s response to the situation during a press conference, saying, “I did hear about it. And they did a great job. The FBI did a great job.”
Mohamud faces charges of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition with the belief that they would be used in connection with a felony and a federal crime of terrorism.
