Luqmaan Khan, 25, a University of Delaware student and Pakistani immigrant, was arrested on November 24 after authorities discovered a stockpile of guns, ammunition, body armor, and a manifesto allegedly detailing plans for a mass shooting on campus.
Khan was apprehended just before midnight when police found him parked in Canby Park West after hours. Officers described his behavior as suspicious, prompting a vehicle search.
What US Police Recovered From Luqmaan Khan
Inside the truck, authorities reportedly found a .357 Glock pistol, multiple loaded 27-round magazines, and body armor plates. Prosecutors said the pistol was modified with a kit converting it into a semi-automatic rifle.
Additionally, a handwritten notebook was discovered containing detailed plans for a potential attack on the University of Delaware’s campus police department. The notes included a map of the headquarters with marked entry and exit points and phrases such as “kill all – martyrdom,” ABC 6 reported. The notebook also outlined tactics to evade capture and listed other weapons to be used, which police described as “premeditated assault plans” and “warfare techniques.”
The full motive behind the alleged attack remains unclear. However, Khan allegedly told authorities that becoming a martyr was “one of the greatest things you can do.” One campus police officer was specifically named in his plans, though the reason for this remains unknown.
Who is Luqmaan Khan?
Khan was born in Pakistan and has lived in the US since his youth. He is an American citizen, New Castle County Police told The Post. Neighbors described him as previously friendly, but recently “standoffish,” Spotlight Delaware reported. Khan had no prior criminal record.
Following the arrest, the FBI raided Khan’s Wilmington home and discovered more weapons. The cache included:
An AR-style rifle with a red-dot scope
A second Glock pistol modified with an illegal device, making it a fully automatic machine gun capable of firing 1,200 rounds per minute
Eleven extended magazines
Hollow-point bullets
A bulletproof vest
Authorities confirmed that none of the weapons were registered.
Luqmaan Khan In Police Custody
Khan remains in custody and has been charged so far with illegal possession of a machine gun, while the FBI continues its investigation.
Police emphasized that a potential disaster was narrowly avoided. Master Cpl. Richard Chambers of New Castle Police said:
“They just randomly drove up in Canby Park West, and when they located the vehicle in the park, once they made contact with the individual, rather than just shooing the person out, saying, ‘Hey, the park is closed,’ they did police work.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
