US authorities say they stopped a planned Daesh-inspired attack scheduled for New Year’s Eve in North Carolina after uncovering detailed preparations for mass violence.
The US Justice Department confirmed that investigators arrested 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant of Mint Hill on Wednesday, December 31. Prosecutors charged him with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organisation. He appeared in court on Friday and has not yet entered a plea.
According to prosecutors, Sturdivant pledged allegiance to Daesh and planned to carry out attacks using knives and hammers. He allegedly targeted a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant in his hometown. Russ Ferguson, the US attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said authorities believed the threat was imminent.
“He was preparing for an attack. Innocent people were going to die,” Ferguson told reporters.
The FBI said it "thwarted a potential" New Year's terror plot in Charlotte, North Carolina. Investigators said an 18-year-old wanted to carry out an ISIS-inspired attack with a goal of stabbing “20 to 21” victims. @AaronKatersky has the latest. https://t.co/rq1JVcxlwS pic.twitter.com/vguU9vtVkB
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) January 3, 2026FBI agents searched Sturdivant’s home and discovered a handwritten document titled “New Years Attack 2026.” The document outlined plans to stab up to 20 people and to assault police officers responding to the scene. Investigators also recovered knives and hammers from his bedroom.
Officials said Sturdivant planned the attack for nearly a year. In December, he communicated online with two undercover law enforcement officers from the FBI and the New York Police Department. He believed they had links to Daesh. During these exchanges, he shared photos of weapons and discussed attack timing and locations.
Authorities revealed that Sturdivant first came to the FBI’s attention in 2022 while he was a juvenile. At that time, he communicated with an unidentified Daesh-linked individual overseas and discussed violent acts involving a hammer. Officials chose not to file charges then and instead referred him for psychological treatment.
Law enforcement agencies say the case highlights ongoing concerns about online radicalisation and lone-actor terrorism. Officials remain on high alert during major public holidays and crowded events.
