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FBI arrests 18-year-old accused of plotting mass shooting at Mall of America

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 27 outlets, mostly right-leaning (67%).

36 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Exterior of Mall of America shopping center with distinctive signage and logo.
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Federal prosecutors say an 18-year-old man was arrested and charged in a plot to carry out a mass shooting at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Dan Rosen announced the charges on Wednesday. Court records and an FBI source say the suspect intended to harm shoppers, and Rosen said the suspect spoke of killing 30 to 60 people. The suspect allegedly tried to buy an AK-47-style rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI source and was arrested. Authorities say the investigation lasted years. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect sent messages pledging support to ISIS. He is charged with receiving a firearm and ammunition in connection with a federal crime of terrorism and has not been tried.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Federal prosecutors say an 18-year-old man was arrested and charged over an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at the Mall of America in Minnesota.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft4Center4Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    ABC News, The New York Times, CBS News, The Washington Post
    Center
    Sky News, Straight Arrow News, The Hill, PBS NewsHour
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    Townhall, PJ Media, The Western Journal

  2. Court records and an FBI source say the suspect intended to harm shoppers, and the U.S. attorney said he spoke of killing 30 to 60 people.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Washington Post
    Center
    The Hill
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    Townhall

  3. The suspect allegedly tried to buy an AK-47-style rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI source before his arrest.

    Reported byLeft1Center2Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Washington Post
    Center
    Sky News, PBS NewsHour
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    The Western Journal

  4. Authorities say the investigation into the suspect lasted about two years.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The New York Times
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    Washington Examiner

  5. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect sent messages pledging support to ISIS and propaganda videos to a confidential source.

    Reported byLeft1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    CBS News
    Far Right
    Townhall, The Western Journal

  6. Authorities say the suspect was arrested on Tuesday and the charges were announced on Wednesday.

    Reported byCenter1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    The Western Journal

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • The suspect's nationality and background.

    The Washington Examiner says he is a U.S. citizen of Somali descent, the Western Journal calls him a Somali man, and PJ Media says some sources report he is Somali while the federal government has not confirmed it.

  • Whether the plot was ISIS-inspired or linked to ISIS.

    Federal officials quoted by Townhall, the Western Journal and CBS describe ISIS support or inspiration, while the ABC, New York Times, Sky News and The Hill excerpts describe the plot without naming ISIS. The suspect has not been tried.

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    5 outlets

    ABC and The New York Times headlines name the arrest and charge through federal officials, while The Washington Post and CBS name an ISIS-inspired plot, so the terror link appears in left headlines too.

    FBI claims teen plotted massive attack at Mall of America
    CBS NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    4 outlets

    Center headlines focus on the FBI's role, with Sky News and PBS/AP stressing the assault rifle sale and The Hill and Straight Arrow News stressing the foiled or alleged attack, and none names ISIS in the headline.

    FBI foils alleged terrorist attack at Minneapolis's Mall of America
    The HillCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    18 outlets

    Right headlines foreground ISIS and terrorism, with Townhall and PJ Media naming ISIS and PJ Media tying the plot to the October 7 anniversary, while the Washington Examiner headline stresses the sting operation and the Western Journal headline stresses Somali-American identity.

    The FBI Stopped a Major Terror Plot, and It’s Scary What This 18-Year-Old Reportedly Had Planned
    PJ MediaFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right4

    ISIS Massacreso-calledIslamic terrorAnchor Baby

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    ISIS MassacreMore neutral: ISIS Attack Plot

    “Massacre” presumes an outcome that did not occur, exaggerating the severity of an alleged, foiled plot.

    Somali Man Accused Of Plotting ISIS Massacre At America’s Biggest Mall

    Used byThe Daily Wire (Far Right)

  • Delegitimizing label

    so-calledMore neutral: Palestinians

    Calling Palestinians so-called casts doubt on their identity without evidence and is not needed to report the case.

    In case you are wondering what the so-called Palestinians and their many backers mean by “globalizing the intifada,” this is it.

    Used byPJ Media (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    Islamic terrorMore neutral: terrorism linked to ISIS

    The phrase links a religion to terrorism beyond what the case alleges against one suspect and an ISIS connection.

    …1,200 Israelis, Americans once again received a lesson in the global reach of Islamic terror.

    Used byPJ Media (Far Right)

  • Dehumanizing label

    Anchor BabyMore neutral: U.S.-born child of immigrants

    Slur implying children are conceived as an immigration tactic.

    FBI: Pro-ISIS Somali Anchor Baby Plotted Terror Attack On Mall Of America

    Used byThe Federalist (Far Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

5 outlets

Leads with

  • FBI disruption of the plot
  • allegations attributed to federal officials and court records
  • intent to harm shoppers

Leaves out

  • The Oct. 24 target date and Hmong Arts Celebration, which appear only in right-side reports in the supplied text

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 5 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

4 outlets

Leads with

  • the rifle sale by federal agents
  • the FBI's own account of the plot
  • the attack presented as alleged

Leaves out

  • The ISIS pledge or affiliation, which appears in right-side and CBS coverage

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • PBS NewsHourCenterAssociated Press report

    FBI says it stopped a Mall of America terror attack by a teen after agents sold him an assault rifle

    FBI agents thwarted a terror attack by a teenager on the Mall of America after monitoring him for nearly two years and ultimately supplying him with the assault rifle he planned to use, authorities said Wednesday.

    Read at PBS NewsHour (opens in a new tab)
  • The HillCenter

    FBI foils alleged terrorist attack at Minneapolis's Mall of America

    Per an FBI source, Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud repeatedly affirmed his intent to carry out an attack to kill non-Muslims

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)
  • Straight Arrow NewsCenter

    FBI says it arrested a man who planned terrorist attack at the Mall of America

    The FBI said it arrested a man in connection with a terrorist plot after it said he planned a mass shooting at the Mall of America.

    Read at Straight Arrow News (opens in a new tab)
  • Sky NewsCenter

    Planned gun attack on America's largest mall thwarted 'after teen bought assault rifle'

    A planned gun attack on the largest mall in the US was prevented after a teenager was arrested trying to buy an assault rifle, according to officials.

    Read at Sky News (opens in a new tab)

From the right

18 outlets

Leads with

  • ISIS ties and pledged allegiance
  • Somali descent of the suspect
  • the October 7 anniversary and a wider Islamic terror frame in PJ Media
  • the sting operation

Leaves out

  • Whether the FBI supplied the rifle, which is absent from PJ Media's supplied text

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 20 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    2 hr 53 min later

    Its first report, Oct 7, 12:34 PM EDT

  • Center

    5 hr later

    Its first report, Oct 7, 2:45 PM EDT

  • Right

    First to report

    The Daily Wire, Oct 7, 9:41 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Daily WireFar RightOct 7, 9:41 AM EDT
  2. CBS NewsLeftOct 7, 12:34 PM EDT
  3. Fox NewsFar RightOct 7, 1:33 PM EDT
  4. RedStateFar RightOct 7, 1:48 PM EDT
  5. ABC NewsLeftOct 7, 1:49 PM EDT
  6. New York PostRightOct 7, 1:49 PM EDT
  7. TownhallFar RightOct 7, 2:28 PM EDT
  8. The New York TimesLeftOct 7, 2:29 PM EDT
  9. Sky NewsCenterOct 7, 2:45 PM EDT
  10. Washington ExaminerRightOct 7, 2:47 PM EDT
  11. Straight Arrow NewsCenterOct 7, 2:49 PM EDT
  12. The Western JournalFar RightOct 7, 2:57 PM EDT
  13. One America NewsFar RightOct 7, 3:07 PM EDT
  14. The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 7, 3:08 PM EDT
  15. The HillCenterOct 7, 3:47 PM EDT
  16. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 7, 4:08 PM EDT
  17. Daily MailRightOct 7, 4:23 PM EDT
  18. The GuardianLeftOct 7, 4:27 PM EDT
  19. Hot AirFar RightOct 7, 4:40 PM EDT
  20. The Daily CallerFar RightOct 7, 4:50 PM EDT
  21. The Washington TimesRightOct 7, 4:53 PM EDT
  22. PBS NewsHourCenterOct 7, 4:56 PM EDT
  23. TheBlazeFar RightOct 7, 5:39 PM EDT
  24. The Washington PostLeftOct 7, 6:58 PM EDT
  25. The FederalistFar RightOct 8, 9:40 AM EDT
  26. The Center SquareRightOct 8, 10:46 AM EDT
  27. PJ MediaFar RightOct 8, 10:09 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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