Authorities in Delaware say a routine late-night traffic stop near the University of Delaware may have stopped a former student from carrying out a violent attack on campus.
On Tuesday, the New Castle County Police Department announced that two officers arrested 25-year-old Luqmaan Khan around midnight on Nov. 24, after pulling over his pickup truck at a park roughly 15 miles from the university.
Police said the situation escalated when Khan allegedly refused officers’ instructions to step out of the vehicle. During the stop, officers reported finding a cache of tactical-style weapons and written materials that investigators believe referenced plans for an attack on the school.
According to the department, officers recovered a loaded Glock .357 handgun, four loaded 27-round extended magazines, body armor, binoculars, a laptop and a notebook. The notebook allegedly contained writings that investigators say outlined preparations for an assault on campus.
The department described the notebook as containing “notes on warfare techniques, premeditated assault plans, and a diagram of the University of Delaware Police Department.”
The Delaware News Journal reported that the notebook also allegedly included detailed diagrams of university buildings and messages about becoming a “martyr.”
Citing court documents, the outlet reported that FBI investigators said Khan told them during questioning that it was his “goal” to become a martyr and that he believed it was “one of the greatest things you can do.” The documents did not elaborate further on his alleged motivations.
In a separate news release, the FBI said that the day after Khan’s arrest, agents searched his home in Wilmington and recovered a Glock 19 9mm handgun fitted with an illegal machine gun conversion device, often called a “switch.”
The FBI also said officers found a .556 rifle with a scope and red dot sight, eleven additional extended magazines, hollow-point ammunition, and a two-plate tactical vest with a single ballistic plate at the residence.
Local police said Khan has been charged at the state level with a felony count of possession of a large-capacity magazine and a felony count of carrying a concealed deadly weapon. He also faces several misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest, being in a park after dark, failing to have proof of insurance, driving with expired tags, and not having his driver’s license on him. The FBI added a federal charge for possessing a machine gun.
The FBI noted that, if convicted on the federal machine gun charge, Khan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The New Castle County Police Department did not specify potential penalties for the state charges.
According to the Delaware News Journal, Khan is a U.S. citizen who was born in Pakistan, grew up in Wilmington, and was enrolled as a student at the University of Delaware at the time of his arrest. In a statement, university Interim President Laura Carlson said Khan has been temporarily banned from campus while the legal proceedings continue.
Police said Khan was transferred to federal custody after being arraigned at the county jail.
The Delaware News Journal reported that Khan is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on his state charges on Dec. 9, followed by a detention hearing in federal court two days later.
