Christian Sturdivant, of Mint Hill, Charlotte, North Carolina man foiled in planned ISIS New Year’s Eve attack after being intercepted by undercover agents. Prosecutors outline evidence seized and scope of planned attack.
Federal officials have arrested an 18-year-old man they allege had sought to perpetrate a New Year’s Eve ISIS inspired terrorist attack in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Christian Sturdivant, of Mint Hill, NC, is accused of planning to assault a grocery store and fast food restaurant using knives and hammers, federal prosecutors allege according to WCNC.
Mint Hill, Charlotte, North Carolina man inspired by ISIS
The FBI’s Charlotte office said Sturdivant was ‘directly inspired to act’ by ISIS.
Sturdivant 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 in a statement according to FOX News.
‘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.
‘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.’
Sturdivant allegedly planned to use knives and hammers in the planned lethal attack, FOX13 reported.
Mint Hill suspect consumed ISIS propaganda material
Prosecutors said law enforcement seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom ‘a blue hammer, a wooden-handled hammer, and two butcher knives hidden underneath the defendant’s bed.’
Discovered at the residence was a note titled, ‘New Years Attack 2026,’ that prosecutors said law enforcement found during a Dec. 29, 2025 search of Sturdivant’s residence in Mint Hill, N.C.
FBI and DOJ officials claim that Sturdivant began consuming ISIS propaganda videos on social media and pledged his allegiance to ISIS, detailing his plans to undercover officers.
Officials said that he planned the attack for about a year in support of ISIS.
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.”
‘I will do Jihad soon,’ suspect said during online communications
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 that the attack was planned to take place in Mint Hill. According to the criminal complaint, Sturdivant also told the undercover employee about his plans to buy a firearm to use along with the knives during the attack.
‘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.
ISIS inspired ‘lone wolf’ terrorist had range of targets
According to an arrest affidavit that was unsealed on Friday, the FBI received tips about Sturdivant’s social media posts supporting ISIS on Dec. 18.
One post included an image of miniature figurines of Jesus with text proclaiming a curse on ‘cross worshipers.’
The FBI said that Sturdivant began communicating with an undercover employee, whom he believed to be an ISIS member, on Dec. 12.
After the FBI executed a search warrant at Sturdivant’s residence, agents found two butcher knives, a blue hammer and a wooden-handled hammer under his bed.
According to investigators, Sturdivant allegedly targeted a Burger King in Mint Hill and wrote that he had a goal of attacking at least eight people, WSOC-TV reported.
A second attack was planned at a grocery store, where Sturdivant reportedly said he wanted to attack at least 11 people.
Other targets included police officers when they arrived at the scene, “non-Muslims,” “LGBTQ,” “Capitalist,” “Democracy, Republicanism,” and “military personnel.”
Sturdivant was originally booked into the Gaston County Jail on Dec. 31, online records show. He was released into federal custody early Friday, according to booking records.
The arrest follows last year’s ISIS-inspired New Orleans truck attack by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, in which 14 people were killed and 57 others were injured on Bourbon Street as New Year’s Eve celebrations were winding down.
