Minnesota Senate Hopeful Cites Rising Crime Amid Somali Gang Violence and Foiled Terror Plot

Republican Senate nominee in Minnesota Michele Tafoya has voiced concerns about rising crime levels, citing a surge in Somali gang violence and a recently thwarted terror plot allegedly orchestrated by an American citizen of Somali descent. Tafoya stated that Minnesotans feel an increased sense of threat, a sentiment she has heard repeatedly on the campaign trail.

"We saw the arrest of an 18-year-old Somali American citizen to Somali parents arrested for a terrorist — planning a terrorist attack — at the Mall of America during a Hmong celebration," Tafoya told Fox News Digital. The suspect, identified as Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, reportedly purchased an AK-47-style rifle, magazines, and ammunition from an undercover FBI agent he believed to be an ISIS loyalist, according to federal court documents.

Law enforcement sources indicated that Mohamud had digital communications beginning in December 2024 with a confidential informant he thought was a member of al-Shabaab, a Somali Islamist terror group. In one message, Mohamud allegedly stated, "I can’t wait until I kill kuffar man. October 24 is the day insha Allah." He also reportedly expressed a desire to target non-Muslims and individuals he believed owned the Mall of America.

This alleged terror plot follows a series of gang-related shootings attributed to Somali gangs by law enforcement in the Minneapolis suburbs. Incidents include a shooting at a local high school's homecoming celebration in Eden Prairie and another at a Bloomington gas station, where over 100 rounds were reportedly fired. "Our law enforcement here are calling it out as the product of Somali gang violence," Tafoya said, emphasizing the need to identify and address the issue.

Tafoya also referenced the "Feeding Our Future" fraud scandal that has impacted Minnesota, stating that a significant percentage of those involved were of Somali descent. "What I do think is any guests of this country who commits crime should be sent home with no pathway back," she stated. "If you're coming here to be a guest of this country or to live in this country you cannot break our laws, and if you're an American, you cannot break our laws, period."

Despite her strong stance on crime, Tafoya clarified that she is not against immigration, noting her own family's immigrant roots and her patriotic Colombian adopted daughter. She vowed to hold all criminals accountable, regardless of their background, and specifically targeted corrupt politicians.