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.

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“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.

Ahead of the rapidly approaching 2026 midterms, Republicans and Democrats in states across the country are engaged in heated redistricting battles. What started with Texas’ effort to redraw its congressional map earlier in 2025 has led to other states, including California and Missouri, to do the same.

Now, redistricting battles are shaping up in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland and Virginia.

Florida

Florida Republicans are engaged in a fight over the creation of a House map that has the potential to net the GOP several seats, The Hill reported. Currently, Republicans hold 20 of Florida’s 28 congressional districts.

Despite the fact that a Florida House redistricting panel has already met twice to begin the process, Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and state Senate Republican leadership appear to be interested in holding off on the discussion until a special session in spring. However, some fear that this could be too late, as April 20 is the deadline for federal candidates to qualify and file paperwork.

Florida Republicans are also facing challenges because of language in the state’s constitution that puts tight restrictions on gerrymandering, NBC News noted.

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Illinois

Democrats could possibly pick up more seats in Illinois, but the move has gained little ground. Black lawmakers have expressed concerns that a new map could undermine minority representation, according to NBC News.

Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., said his state could be forced to respond if neighboring Indiana were to move forward with its own redistricting effort. However, he later applauded Indiana when it rejected a new map.

“Our neighbors in Indiana have stood up to Trump’s threats and political pressure, instead choosing to do what’s right for their constituents and our democracy,” Pritzker wrote on X. “Illinois will remain vigilant against his map rigging — our efforts to respond and stop his campaign are being heard.”

After Indiana rejected their map, Illinois state Sen. Willie Preston, D, urged Pritzker to drop the idea, The Hill reported, noting that others have suggested that the Prairie State is still mulling the move.

Jon Maxson, a spokesperson for Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, told The Hill in an email that “all options remain on the table in Illinois.”

Illinois faces a larger issue, as the November candidate filing deadline has already passed.

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Kansas

Kansas is the other major redistricting target for Republicans.

GOP lawmakers in the Sunflower State have said that they would discuss redrawing the map when they reconvene this month. However, just last year, lawmakers tried but failed to bring the issue forward.

Kansas Republicans need two-thirds support in the Legislature to hold a special session to address the map. While State House members didn’t have enough support for the issue, Republicans were able to secure enough signatures in the state Senate, The Hill reported. Additionally, they will need to override a veto by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

Kelly recently told the Kansas Reflector that she would be “surprised if they even really bring it up.”

“I don’t think a lot has changed in terms of where legislators stand on the issue,” she added.

In November, Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson (R), who’s running for Kansas governor, claimed in a statement that “California Democrats are working overtime to silence Republicans and steal the House majority.”

“Even Governor Laura Kelly admitted that there’s a bigger risk in doing nothing. On that, we agree. States across America are standing up, and Kansas will be part of that fight,” he added.

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Maryland

Maryland Democrats have resisted pressure to redraw maps. In November, Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, formed a redistricting commission to explore the issue despite a lack of appetite for the move within his own party. The commission voted in secret to move forward with the plan, to the dismay of Democrat critics.

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat, has been a vocal opponent of redistricting.

“The overwhelming majority do not want a new congressional map,” Ferguson said in a statement, according to The Hill. “They want their government focused on fostering growth, affordability, and real protections against this lawless federal Administration.”

The commission is asking the public about congressional map proposals ahead of the state’s Feb. 24 candidate filing deadline.

Virginia

In late October, just before the state’s gubernatorial election, Virginia Democratic lawmakers took a major first step in a complex political maneuver aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional map.

Democrats were able to pass an amendment to the state’s Constitution to allow lawmakers to temporarily redistrict mid-decade by 2030, The Hill noted. The amendment will need to be passed again in the spring or summer before voters can have their say. The lawmakers now have the help of additional Democrats in the state’s Legislature following the November 2025 elections.

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“Our congressional delegation is 6-5 — six Democrats, five Republicans. Ten-1 is not out of the realm,” Virginia House Speaker Don Scott said in early December, according to NBC News.

If voters approve of the referendum, lawmakers would be able to pass a new map ahead of the 2026 midterms. The Hill noted that Republicans are highly likely to challenge a new map in court.

The suspect accused of plotting a New Year’s Eve attack on a grocery store and fast-food restaurant in North Carolina worked at a Burger King and hid knives and hammers under his bed despite his grandparents trying to secure the potential weapons, 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.   

“What we do know is that the grandfather secured the knives in the home, secured the hammers, tried to make sure that Mr. Sturdivant did not have them. And, yet, when we executed the search warrant, they were found under his bed,” Ferguson told reporters at a news conference Friday. 

Ferguson added the attack was planned to take place in Mint Hill, and the suspect worked at a Burger King.

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“He was preparing for jihad, and innocent people were going to die. And we were very, very fortunate they did not,” Ferguson said. “I can tell you from his notes he was targeting Jews, Christians and LGBTQ individuals.” 

James C. Barnacle, Jr., special agent in charge of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office, said Friday that Sturdivant first caught the bureau’s attention in January 2022, when he was still a juvenile. 

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“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.

“Christian Sturdivant pledged his loyalty to ISIS and committed himself to commit to killing Americans on New Year’s Eve. 

“We do have some intelligence that he was looking at a grocery store because there would be a lot of people there. He knew there would be a lot of people there grocery shopping. … He was looking for a high-profile place,” Barnacle added. 

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“There’s a couple grocery stores in Mint Hill. He wasn’t set on just one. He was looking at multiple, whichever one had the most people in it.”