The individual accused of planning a New Year’s Eve assault on a grocery store and fast-food outlet in North Carolina was an employee at a Burger King. Despite his grandparents’ efforts to secure potential weapons, he hid knives and hammers beneath his bed, as disclosed by prosecutors on Friday.
Christian Sturdivant, aged 18, hailing from Mint Hill near Charlotte, was detained and faces charges for attempting to offer material support to a foreign terrorist organization, according to U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina.
“The grandfather had taken steps to lock away the knives and hammers in the household to prevent Mr. Sturdivant from accessing them,” Ferguson stated at a press briefing on Friday. “However, during a search warrant execution, these items were discovered under his bed.”
Ferguson mentioned that the intended attack was to occur in Mint Hill, where Sturdivant was employed at Burger King.
Christian Sturdivant, the 18-year-old from Mint Hill, N.C., is charged with planning a New Year’s Eve attack in alignment with ISIS. (Gaston County Sheriff’s Office)
“He was preparing for a jihad, with innocent lives at risk, but fortunately, we were able to prevent it,” Ferguson commented. “His notes revealed targets including 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.
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.” On the right is a note titled, “New Years Attack 2026,” that prosecutors said law enforcement found during a Dec. 29, 2025, search of Sturdivant’s home in Mint Hill, N.C. (United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina)
“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.
“Law enforcement also seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom a list of targets, as well as tactical gloves and a vest, acquired as part of the defendant’s planned attack,” prosecutors said. (United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina)
“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.
“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.”
