Teen Arrested After FBI Supplies Assault Rifle in Mall of America Plot

FBI stops planned attack on America's largest mall after teen bought rifle. Officials confirm thwarted terror plot.

October 8, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Minneapolis, United States — An 18-year-old man was arrested after an FBI sting operation prevented a planned shooting at the Mall of America, the largest shopping complex in the United States.

Federal agents reportedly supplied the suspect with an assault rifle as part of an undercover operation that uncovered his intent to carry out an attack later this month. The teenager had been communicating with an FBI informant about his plans for several months before being taken into custody in Richfield, Minnesota.

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The incident highlights concerns over radicalized youth and the role of law enforcement in preemptive counterterrorism efforts. Authorities confirmed that the individual, described as ‘radicalized,’ was arrested at gunpoint following the operation that halted what could have been a major security threat.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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