Arrest of St. Peter man thwarts imminent attack

According to court records and media reports, Mohamed Adan Mohamed, 24, was arrested last week in St. Peter, MN, after posting threatening messages on social media and following that up by stealing $2,000 dollars in firearm accessories and survival gear from a Mankato sporting goods store.

The online messages included a photo of Mohamed with an AR-15 style rifle, and references to “getting more prepped every day,” sending “a message to those of us with their eyes open,” and a “reminder that Amerikka was founded on revolution.” Mohamed also posted he would “do whatever’s necessary” and used hashtags such as “Deathtoamerikka” and “Israhellimperialism.” (sic)

Mohamed posted his intent to organize a rally at the Minnesota Capitol on April 22. Apparently, as a result of the postings, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension began investigating.

Mohamed accelerated the investigative timeline when, on April 17, he went to a Mankato sporting goods store dressed in a winter coat, COVID mask, and gloves. Mohamed had a list of items he wanted to include body armor, firearm magazines, knives, firearm slings, magazine holders, bow and arrows, a baseball bat, pepper spray, a flashlight, binoculars, rain gear, and a sleeping bag. Mohamed raised suspicion with store staff based on his dress, the items he was shopping for, and his disregard for the price of any item. 

Mohamed ended up fleeing the store with over $2,000 in items and then nearly ran over a pedestrian in the parking lot with his car. He left behind the list of items he had been shopping for. Police responded to the store after the theft. They were able to identify Mohamed and make the connection between the thefts of weaponry and survival gear to the social media postings under investigation.

The BCA declared that based on Mohamed’s actions, he was an imminent threat to carry out a mass casualty event — Mohamed was arrested that evening. On April 18, the St. Peter Police Department executed a search warrant at the home where Mohamed was living and seized an AR-style rifle.

On April 18, the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office (BECAO) charged Mohamed with one count of felony theft over $1,000 and one count of felony threats of violence — reckless disregard risk. The BECAO requested a $6 million dollar bail or $3 million with conditions. The public defender assigned to Mohamed filed a motion to dismiss the case for lack of probable cause. The district court judge denied the motion and set bail at $1 million or $500,000 with conditions. Mohamed remains in the Blue Earth County Jail with a court hearing set for May 1.

Mohamed is under two separate orders not to possess or buy any firearms. One order came from the criminal court case, and the other came in the form of an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), a civil order that the St. Peter Police Department obtained in Nicollet County on April 18.

It is likely that the FBI and ICE are now involved in this investigation to determine if federal terrorism charges might apply and to determine Mohamed’s immigration status.

We will update this story as it progresses.