Police in New Castle County, Delaware, arrested Luqmaan Khan, a 25-year-old student at the University of Delaware, after discovering an arsenal in his vehicle and a manifesto that revealed plans to carry out a mass shooting on the Wilmington campus.

The discovery occurred on November 24, while officers were patrolling Canby Park West, which was closed to the public outside of regular hours.

Officers approached Khan's car after noticing the young man behaving unusually nervously. Upon inspecting the vehicle, they found a high-powered weapon, a handgun, multiple high-capacity magazines, body armor, ammunition, and a conversion kit capable of transforming a handgun into a semi-automatic rifle.

But the most alarming find was a notebook with handwritten plans, where Khan expressed his desire to “kill everyone” and seek “martyrdom.”

“Instead of simply asking him to leave the area, the officers did their job,” explained Senior Corporal Richard Chambers. That decision allowed them to detect what could have been an attack with devastating consequences.

An attack targeting the university police department

According to the preliminary investigation, Khan was planning an attack against the University of Delaware police department. Police sources indicated that the young man had developed a detailed plan, including routes, targets, and a possible method of attack. The description of the notebook's contents suggests that the young man was seeking a high-impact, lethal action that would allow him, in his own words, to achieve a kind of "martyrdom." Authorities have not disclosed any additional possible motivations, but confirmed that the arsenal found had the capacity to produce a large-scale attack. Complete arsenal inside the vehicle. Among the confiscated items were: an unspecified high-powered weapon, a pistol, multiple extended ammunition magazines,Hundreds of rounds of ammunition, bulletproof vests, a conversion kit capable of transforming a pistol into a carbine-style semiautomatic weapon, and a notebook/manifesto containing extremist plans and threats. The items, according to experts consulted by authorities, could equip a person for a prolonged and highly lethal attack. The arrest occurred almost by chance. Officers patrolling the park were conducting routine checks when they noticed the vehicle and decided to investigate. “They were performing police work,” Chambers emphasized, insisting that the officers acted according to protocols that recommend observing any unusual signs, even in seemingly routine contexts. That procedure ended up revealing an imminent threat. Khan was arrested at the scene and remains in custody while federal and state investigations proceed. Authorities have not detailed all the charges he will face, but legal experts say they could include: possession of a firearm with criminal intent, possession of illegal conversion devices, attempted domestic terrorism, threats of mass violence, and possession of a firearm in a school zone. The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities are expected to become involved due to the nature of the potential attack. University community on alert. The University of Delaware issued a preliminary statement indicating that it is fully cooperating with authorities and will reinforce security measures on the Wilmington campus. Although the incident did not occur on campus, the discovery has raised concerns among students and staff, given that the target of the alleged attack was an internal police facility.

Khan was arrested at the scene and remains in custody while federal and state investigations continue.

Authorities have not detailed all the charges he will face, but legal experts say they could include: possession of a firearm with criminal intent, possession of illegal conversion devices, attempted domestic terrorism, threats of mass violence, and possession of a firearm in a school zone.

The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities are expected to become involved due to the nature of the potential attack.

University community on alert

The University of Delaware issued a preliminary statement indicating that it is fully cooperating with authorities and will reinforce security measures on the Wilmington campus.

Although the incident did not occur on campus, the discovery has raised concerns among students and staff, given that the target of the alleged attack was an internal police facility.