A judge on Monday sentenced a southern Minnesota man accused of shoplifting several gun magazines from a sporting goods store.
Mohamed Adan Mohamed, 24, was sentenced to 232 days in prison, with credit for 152 days served, and three years of probation, according to court records. He will be granted furlough from prison “for treatment” once a bed becomes available.
Mohamed pleaded guilty to one count of theft in July. He had also been charged with threats of violence, but the charge was dismissed in a plea deal.
He was arrested on April 17 at the Scheels store in Mankato for shoplifting.
Police were called to the store and told a man wearing a medical mask, gloves, a heavy winter jacket and a green stocking cap — later identified as Mohamed — entered the business and began selecting 9mm firearm magazines, bear spray and body armor. Employees became suspicious when he started grabbing high-priced merchandise without looking at the price, according to the complaint.
Charges say Mohamed told people he had an “AR-style rifle that was calibrated to 9mm” before fleeing the store with over $2,150 worth of items.
Security at the store attempted a “citizen’s arrest” on Mohamed, but he got into a vehicle and fled, nearly running over a person in the process, the complaint states.
Court documents say Mohamed left a list at the store that said “Survival Gear List with Alternative” at the top. The list included knives, bows and arrows, a sleeping bag, lighters, pepper spray, a “6-mag chest right” and eight magazines. Authorities say Mohamed stole eight magazines.
While investigating the incident, an officer recalled being on a call for service within the week prior due to Mohamed “making several media posts showing firearms and ammunition and one post showing himself pointing an apparent assault rifle at the camera,” the complaint said. The hashtag for the social media post was “#deathtoamerikkan&israelliImperialism.”
Because there was no present threat when police met with Mohamed regarding his posts, he was not arrested, according to the St. Peter Police Department.
Following the thefts, an agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension told law enforcement “there were strong indicators that Mohamed was preparing to conduct some sort of attack,” or a mass casualty event, within the next day, charges said.
While executing a search warrant on Mohamed’s St. Peter home, investigators say they found a firearm that he had pointed at the camera in an online post.
An extreme risk protection order was granted against Mohamed after his arrest, allowing police to seize his guns, which included an AR-style rifle and two 3D-printed handguns.
contributed to this report.
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