A University of Delaware student is arrested, and local law enforcement says he was targeting the UD’s Police Department.
New Castle County Police arrested 25-year-old Luqmaan Khan of Wilmington on Monday November 24 after seeing his vehicle in parkland after hours in Canby Park West.
Khan was ordered out of his vehicle, but refused to comply. He was taken into custody, and an investigation turned up a loaded handgun, ammunition, body armor, binoculars, a laptop and a notebook.
After a search warrant was obtained and executed police also found a notebook containing notes on warfare techniques, premeditated assault plans and a diagram of the University of Delaware Police Department.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, Khan referenced a member of UD’s Police Department by name and there was a layout of the building with entry and exit points.
“This case is a quintessential example of federal and state law enforcement collaborating to neutralize a grave threat to Delaware before the worst could come to pass. I want to thank our dedicated law enforcement partners at the FBI and the NCCPD for their exceptional work. As always, we are proud to work with them to keep Delaware safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julianne Murray.
A search of his home by the FBI and County Police produced a handgun with an illegal machine gun conversion device.
Khan is facing federal charges for illegally possessing a machine gun.
He also faces charges from New Castle County Police including felony counts of carrying a concealed deadly weapon and possessing a large capacity magazine.
In a statement, University of Delaware Interim President Laura Carlson says Khan has been temporarily separated from UD, including a ban from all UD campuses while legal matters are being resolved.
My purpose here is to talk about how we are working through this as a community. At times like this, I appreciate evermore how strong our community is, and how we come together and care for each other both in good times and when we learn about something alarming like this,” said Carlson in the statement.
Carlson notes that the Wellbeing Center at Warner Hall will be open for walk-in conversations this week, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. She encourages all students to stop in if they want someone to talk to at this time.
