E-Paper
Christian Sturdivant's manifesto revealed: Mint Hill man made shocking ISIS claim before New Year's Eve
Christian Sturdivant was arrested after the FBI said it found evidence that he was planning an ISIS-inspired attack on New Year's Eve.
Christian Sturdivant, an 18-year-old from Mint Hill, North Carolina, was arrested after the FBI said it found evidence that he was planning an ISIS-inspired attack on New Year's Eve. He is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terror organization. On Friday, officials said that he communicated his plans to an undercover FBI employee who was posing as an encouraging confidant.
Sturdivant was arrested on Wednesday and made a court appearance on Friday. His next hearing is scheduled for January 7.
Christian Sturdivant's manifesto revealed
Authorities said they found a handwritten manifesto-type note on Sturdivant. It 'detailed plans to execute a massacre on New Year's Eve as people shopped for the holidays'. The plan included up to 21 victims if he was successful.
The document was titled ‘New Years Attack 2026’. The note listed items such as a vest, mask, tactical gloves, and two knives, allegedly to be used in the attack.
“It also described a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible, with the total number of victims to be as high as 20 to 21. The note also included a section labeled as “martyrdom op,” that described a plan to attack police responding to the site of the attack so Sturdivant would die a martyr,” the Department of Justice said in its press release.
Russ Ferguson, the US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said Sturdivant had been planning the attack for about a year. "But he’s been planning an attack for far longer than that.”
“He was planning this attack in support of ISIS,” Ferguson added.“He pledged his allegiance to ISIS with that undercover agent, and he disclosed his plans to ‘do jihad soon'.
“He talked with that undercover agent, again, who he thought was ISIS, 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,” Ferguson added.
