CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Federal authorities say they disrupted an ISIS-inspired terror plot targeting New Year’s Eve celebrations in North Carolina, arresting an 18-year-old suspect and seizing what investigators described as a written attack plan.
The FBI and Department of Justice announced the arrest Friday, calling the case part of a broader effort to prevent extremist violence tied to the holiday.
Christian Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill, North Carolina, was arrested and charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, federal officials said.
Investigators allege Sturdivant was inspired by the Islamic State and discussed carrying out an attack with knives and hammers. Authorities said he talked about stabbing as many as 20 victims and targeting responding police officers.
During a search of his home, agents recovered a handwritten document titled “New Years Attack 2026,” according to court filings.
The FBI’s Charlotte Field Office said in a social media post that the planned attack was “directly inspired” by ISIS.
As Fox News reports:
Prosecutors said the alleged plot was foiled after Sturdivant recently began communicating online with an individual he “believed to be affiliated with ISIS but in reality was a government online covert employee,” who is referred to in a criminal complaint as “OC.” In one of the communications on Dec. 14, Sturdivant allegedly sent the OC an image of two hammers and a knife.
“During his online communications with the OC, Sturdivant said, ‘I will do jihad soon,’ and proclaimed he was ‘a soldier of the state,’ meaning ISIS,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
“In subsequent online communications with the OC, Sturdivant indicated that he planned to attack a specific grocery store in North Carolina and discussed plans to purchase a firearm to use along with the knives during the attack,” it added.
Ferguson said during a press conference on Friday that the attack was planned to take place in Mint Hill.
Ferguson added that Sturdivant discussed plans to continue his attack at a fast-food restaurant, another place people routinely visit without expecting to be in danger.
Sturdivant remains in federal custody and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Authorities had monitored Sturdivant since 2022 after identifying his online radicalization. A Dec. 12 tip about his pro-ISIS social media posts accelerated the investigation into the troubled teen.
The case came amid heightened nationwide law enforcement activity related to New Year’s Eve threats.
Earlier this month, federal authorities arrested four people in California accused of plotting coordinated bombings across Southern California. According to the Department of Justice, the case involved improvised explosive devices and anti-capitalist, anarchist ideology.
Bottom Line
Federal authorities say the arrest of an 18-year-old North Carolina man prevented an ISIS-inspired attack planned for New Year’s Eve. Investigators uncovered a written attack plan and charged the suspect with providing material support to a terrorist organization, underscoring ongoing concerns about lone-actor extremist threats during major public events.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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Mint Hill and adjacent Charlotte are in a Lie-beral Demonocrat controlled, illegal alien sanctuary county. Surprise, surprise !!! What else could you expect ?!