FIRST ON FOX – The FBI disrupted an alleged plot to attack people inside a grocery store and fast food restaurant in North Carolina on New Year’s Eve in support of the Islamic State terrorist group, prosecutors revealed Friday.
Christian Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill — a town outside Charlotte — was arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson said.
"The FBI and our partners continued working 24/7 over the holidays protecting the American people, and this case out of Charlotte foiling another alleged New Years Eve attacker is the latest example of their tremendous work," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Our teams quickly identified the threat and acted decisively — no doubt saving American lives in the process. Thanks to our Joint Terrorism Task Force and regional partners both in New York and Western North Carolina for their efforts."
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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 and the suspect worked at a Burger King.
"He talked about where he was planning to do this attack, which was at a grocery store and a fast food restaurant in Mint Hill. Places that we go every day and don't think that we may be harmed," Ferguson added.
"He was preparing for jihad, and innocent people were going to die. And we were very, very fortunate they did not," Ferguson also said, later adding, "I can tell you from his notes he was targeting, Jews, Christians and LGBTQ individuals."
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Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that, "This successful collaboration between federal and local law enforcement saved American lives from a horrific terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve."
"The Department of Justice remains vigilant in our pursuit of evil ISIS sympathizers — anyone plotting to commit such depraved attacks will face the full force of the law," she continued.
Prosecutors said a law enforcement search of Sturdivant’s residence on Dec. 29 uncovered various handwritten documents, one of which was titled "New Years Attack 2026," and "listed, among other things, items such as a vest, mask, tactical gloves, and two knives allegedly to be used in the attack."
"It also listed a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible and [the] total number of victims as 20 to 21. The note also included a section listed as ‘martyrdom Op,’ with a plan to attack police that arrived at the site of the attack so the defendant would die a martyr," the Attorney’s Office continued. "In addition, law enforcement seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom a blue hammer, a wooden handled hammer, and two butcher knives hidden underneath the defendant’s bed."
Sturdivant remains held in federal custody, and if convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.
"The FBI's mission is to protect the American people, and this case demonstrates our dedication to do everything we can to protect the residents of North Carolina. We worked closely with the Department of Justice, NYPD, Mint Hill Police Department, and our FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force partners to investigate and disrupt this serious threat of a violent attack. We will never stop working to hold people accountable who seek to harm and terrorize our community," said James C. Barnacle, Jr., special agent in charge of the FBI's Charlotte Field Office.
The Attorney’s Office, citing the criminal complaint, said on Dec. 18, the FBI in Charlotte "received information that an individual later identified as Sturdivant was making multiple social media posts in support of ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization."
"In one social post in early December 2025, Sturdivant posted an image depicting two miniature figurines of Jesus with the on-screen text that included ‘May Allah curse the cross worshipers.’ The post is allegedly consistent with ISIS historic practice calling for the extermination of all non-believers, including Christians and other Muslims who do not agree with the terrorist organization’s extreme ideology," the Attorney’s Office added.
Barnacle said at a press conference on Friday that Sturdivant first came to the FBI's radar in January 2022, when he was still a juvenile.
"He was in contact via social media with an unidentified ISIS member overseas. Sturdivant received direction from this unidentified ISIS member to dress in all black, knock on people's doors, and attack them with a hammer. In fact, Sturdivant did dress in all black. He left this house with a hammer, and fortunately his family stepped in," Barnacle continued. "No charges were filed at that time. He was referred for psychological care, and he underwent psychological care."
"This investigation highlights the very real threat posed by people who self-radicalized online and are inspired by jihadist ideologies espoused by foreign terrorist organizations," Barnacle also said.
"We rely on the communities we serve and encourage the public to contact law enforcement when they see or hear something that doesn't seem right. I also have this personal message – if your child, relative, friend, or neighbor is sliding into a dangerous ideology, you'll be the first to see it. And together we can stop it. The threats we face are bigger than any one law enforcement or intelligence agency, requiring everyone who hears this message to work together to keep people safe," he added.
Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report.
