Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic nominee for Minnesota governor, praised law enforcement Wednesday after the FBI arrested an 18-year-old man accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at the Mall of America.
“I’m grateful for the heroic work of law enforcement that prevented a mass shooting and terrorist attack at the Mall of America,” she said in a statement. “This shows why we continue to need major coordinated investments in anti-terrorism and local law enforcement to stop attacks like these. Our state must take terrorism and violent crime head on, working with our federal law enforcement and local police departments to keep Minnesotans safe.”
Klobuchar, who has represented Minnesota in the US Senate since 2007, is running against Republican Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth in the November gubernatorial election.
Her statement came after federal authorities announced the arrest of Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, who investigators say pledged allegiance to ISIS and discussed carrying out a mass shooting at the Mall of America.
According to federal court documents, Mohamud allegedly spent months discussing plans for an attack before buying an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI employee Tuesday.
The rifle had been rendered inoperable, though the ammunition was live.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Mohamud “allegedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans.”
President Donald Trump also praised the FBI’s handling of the case while speaking to reporters Wednesday.
“I did hear about it. And they did a great job. The FBI did a great job,” Trump said.
Mohamud is charged with knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition while knowing or having reasonable cause to believe they would be used to commit a felony and federal crime of terrorism.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
