Crime & Courts

NC teen says he’s not guilty of supporting ISIS, planning NYE attack near Charlotte

The FBI’s criminal complaint against 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant of Mint Hill includes a photograph of this social media post the FBI says Sturdivant made in early December 2025.
The FBI’s criminal complaint against 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant of Mint Hill includes a photograph of this social media post the FBI says Sturdivant made in early December 2025. SCREENSHOT OF PHOTO IN FBI CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

The teen accused of supporting ISIS and planning a hammer and knife attack in Charlotte around New Year’s Eve pleaded not guilty in federal court Thursday.

Christian Strudivant, 18, was arrested New Year’s Eve, and prosecutors say he posted ISIS support on TikTok and told undercover federal agents on the app that he planned to kill people in a Mint Hill attack on Dec. 31.

At an early January hearing, Sturdivant’s court-appointed defense attorney said undercover officials “egged on” Sturdivant to give answers about an attack that he was never going to follow through on.

The FBI says suspect Christian Sturdivant titled this handwritten document, “New Years Attack 2026,” according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
The FBI says suspect Christian Sturdivant titled this handwritten document, “New Years Attack 2026,” according to an arrest warrant affidavit. SCREENSHOT OF PHOTO IN FBI ARREST WARRANT AFFIDAVIT

If convicted of “attempted material support to a foreign terrorist organization,” he could face up to 20 years in prison.

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Julia Coin
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Julia Coin covers courts, legal issues, police and public safety around Charlotte and is part of the Pulitzer-finalist team that covered Tropical Storm Helene in North Carolina. As the Observer’s breaking news reporter, she unveiled how fentanyl infiltrated local schools. Michigan-born and Florida-raised, she studied journalism at the University of Florida, where she covered statewide legislation, sexual assault on campus and Hurricane Ian in her hometown of Sanibel Island. Support my work with a digital subscription
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