FBI: 18‑year‑old charged in ISIS‑inspired New Year’s Eve attack plot in North Carolina
Federal prosecutors and the FBI say they disrupted an ISIS‑inspired plot by 18‑year‑old Christian Sturdivant to carry out a New Year’s Eve attack in Mint Hill, North Carolina, targeting a grocery store and a nearby fast‑food restaurant; agents arrested him Dec. 29 and charged him in federal court with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. According to the affidavit, searches found knives, hammers, a handwritten "New Years Attack 2026" manifesto and a list of targets, investigators say Sturdivant had pledged allegiance to ISIS after contact with an overseas member in 2022, he remains in custody pending a Jan. 7 detention hearing, and officials say the public was never in danger.
📌 Key Facts
- The FBI publicly characterized the disrupted North Carolina plot as directly inspired by ISIS and framed it as a thwarted potential New Year’s Eve terror attack.
- The suspect is 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant; he was arrested by federal agents, has been federally charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, remains in custody, and has a detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Susan Rodriguez; if convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Authorities say the alleged targets were a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant in Mint Hill (a bedroom community near Charlotte); investigators say Sturdivant scoped multiple grocery stores looking for the most-crowded location to maximize casualties and planned the attack for New Year’s Eve.
- Searches of Sturdivant’s home and phone (including a Dec. 29 search) uncovered a manifesto/handwritten note titled 'New Years Attack 2026' outlining the planned assault and list of targets, plus tactical gloves, a vest described as attack gear, and weapons (two butcher knives and two hammers) hidden under his bed.
- Officials say Sturdivant planned to use knives and hammers in the attack.
- The FBI first flagged Sturdivant in January 2022 after contact via social media with an overseas ISIS member who instructed him to dress in black and carry out hammer attacks; his family intervened then and he was referred for psychological care, and pro‑ISIS postings tied to his account in late 2025 triggered the latest investigation.
- FBI Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. said Sturdivant 'was willing to sacrifice himself,' and U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson emphasized the public was never in harm’s way; Ferguson also said Sturdivant’s writings indicated intent to target Jews, Christians and LGBTQ individuals and that the suspect’s grandfather had tried to secure the household’s knives and hammers.
- Local reporting notes Sturdivant worked at a Burger King in Mint Hill; federal and Justice Department officials held public briefings and provided on-camera coverage of the case.
📊 Relevant Data
In a database of 238 American homegrown jihadists radicalized from 2001 to 2014, 37% (87 individuals) were converts to Islam, compared to less than 25% of the overall U.S. Muslim population that are converts.
Terrorist campaigns and the growth of the Muslim population — Japanese Journal of Political Science
Among 16 lethal jihadist attackers in the U.S. since 9/11, 3 were African Americans (18.75%), compared to 13% of the U.S. population that is Black.
Terrorism in America After 9/11: Who Are the Terrorists? — New America
Among 16 lethal jihadist attackers in the U.S. since 9/11, 2 were White converts (12.5%), compared to approximately 60% of the U.S. population that is White.
Terrorism in America After 9/11: Who Are the Terrorists? — New America
The pooled prevalence of diagnosed mental disorders among terrorists (including jihadists) is 17.4%, which is lower than the 29.2% prevalence in the general population.
Mental disorder, psychological problems and terrorist behaviour: A systematic review and meta‐analysis — Campbell Systematic Reviews
📰 Sources (9)
Potential terror attack inspired by ISIS thwarted in North Carolina, officials say
New information:
- This CBS video piece reiterates that authorities describe the alleged plot as ISIS-inspired and targeted at both a grocery store and a fast food restaurant in Mint Hill, near Charlotte.
- It confirms that the suspect is already in custody and that officials characterize the threat as tied specifically to New Year’s Eve.
- The segment emphasizes that federal authorities are publicly framing the case as a successfully thwarted potential terror attack, underscoring the timing and nature of the threat.
What we know about thwarted New Year's Eve terror attack and suspect
New information:
- CBS video package provides additional narrative detail and context from CBS homeland security correspondent Nicole Sganga on the suspect and the alleged plot, but no clearly distinct facts beyond those already summarized (age, ISIS support, New Year's Eve timing, North Carolina location, federal terrorism charges).
What we know about the ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve terror suspect
New information:
- U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said Sturdivant’s grandfather had tried to secure the household’s knives and hammers, but agents still found two butcher knives and two hammers hidden under Sturdivant’s bed during the Dec. 29 search.
- Prosecutors recovered a handwritten note titled 'New Years Attack 2026' outlining the planned New Year’s Eve assault, as well as a list of targets, tactical gloves and a vest described as gear for the attack.
- FBI SAC James C. Barnacle Jr. detailed that Sturdivant first came to the FBI’s attention in January 2022 as a juvenile after contact via social media with an unidentified overseas ISIS member who directed him to dress in black, knock on doors and attack people with a hammer; his family intervened at that time and he was referred for psychological care.
- Barnacle said investigators have intelligence that Sturdivant scoped multiple grocery stores in Mint Hill and was looking for whichever one had the most people to maximize casualties.
- Ferguson stated that Sturdivant’s writings show he intended to target Jews, Christians and LGBTQ individuals, and that he was 'preparing for jihad' in an attack that officials say would have killed innocent people had it not been foiled.
- The article notes that Sturdivant worked at a local Burger King in Mint Hill while allegedly planning the attack.
Teen was planning terror attack with knives and hammers for New Year's Eve, U.S. official says
New information:
- U.S. officials told CBS that the alleged New Year’s Eve attack Christian Sturdivant was planning involved the use of knives and hammers.
- CBS segment reiterates that the plot was ISIS-inspired and that Sturdivant has now been formally charged.
- The report underscores that the target was a New Year’s Eve event in North Carolina, framed as a domestic terror threat.
FBI says it disrupted a potential New Year's Eve attack inspired by Islamic State group
New information:
- Confirms the suspect, 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant, has been formally charged in federal court with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terror organization.
- Specifies that the alleged target was a North Carolina grocery store on New Year’s Eve.
- Reports that Sturdivant was arrested by federal agents on Wednesday and is being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Susan Rodriguez.
- Details from the FBI affidavit that Sturdivant was first on the FBI’s radar in January 2022 as a minor after contact with an ISIS member in Europe who instructed him to dress in black and carry out hammer attacks.
- Notes that an account later tied to Sturdivant posted pro-ISIS content on social media in late 2025, triggering the latest investigation.
FBI says it disrupted a potential New Year's Eve attack inspired by Islamic State group
New information:
- Confirms the suspect’s full name (Christian Sturdivant) and age (18) and that he allegedly pledged loyalty to ISIS.
- Details that the target was a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant in Mint Hill, a bedroom community near Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Reports that searches of Sturdivant’s home and phone uncovered what the FBI describes as a manifesto detailing plans for an attack with knives and a hammer.
- States that the FBI kept Sturdivant under constant surveillance for days, including on Christmas, and agents were prepared to arrest him earlier if he left home with weapons.
- Adds that Sturdivant had been on the FBI’s radar since January 2022, when as a minor he contacted a Europe-based ISIS member and once set out toward a neighbor’s home with a hammer and knife before being restrained by his grandfather.
- Includes official quotes from FBI SAC James Barnacle ('He was willing to sacrifice himself') and U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson emphasizing that at no point was the public in harm’s way.
- Notes that Sturdivant remains in custody after an initial court appearance, with another hearing set for Jan. 7, and that he faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
ISIS-inspired New Year's Eve terror attack in North Carolina was prevented, officials say
New information:
- U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson publicly identified the suspect as 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant.
- Officials reiterated that the alleged plot was ISIS-inspired and targeted New Year’s Eve in North Carolina.
- CBS notes the announcement came from both Justice Department and FBI officials, with on-camera briefing coverage.
FBI says potential New Year's Eve terror attack was thwarted in North Carolina
New information:
- Confirms that the FBI publicly characterized the disrupted North Carolina plot as 'directly inspired' by ISIS in its initial social media announcement.
- Frames the incident broadly as a 'potential New Year's Eve terror attack' in North Carolina without yet specifying the grocery‑store target mentioned in other coverage.
- Notes that federal and local authorities scheduled an 11:30 a.m. ET press conference for additional details, underscoring the case’s priority status.