A University of Delaware student is facing serious federal and state charges after a routine traffic stop led authorities to uncover an alleged detailed plot to attack the university’s police department.
The incident began late on Monday, November 24, when New Castle County Police officers spotted a vehicle, a white Toyota Tacoma, in Canby Park West after closing hours. The driver, identified as 25-year-old undergraduate student Luqmaan Khan, was taken into custody after refusing to comply with officers’ orders and resisting arrest.
What started as a minor traffic infraction quickly escalated into a major law enforcement operation. Inside the truck, police found an arsenal including a loaded .357-caliber Glock handgun equipped with a stabilizing brace kit, multiple extended magazines containing 27 rounds each, and an armored ballistic plate.
However, the most disturbing evidence was a marble composition notebook. According to court documents, this notebook was more than just a journal. It contained handwritten notes discussing various weapons, methods of attack, and strategies for avoiding detection after an assault was carried out. Crucially, the notebook also included a sketch of the University of Delaware Police Station’s layout, complete with entry and exit points, and referenced a specific member of the department by name.
Investigators, working in collaboration with the FBI, executed a search warrant at Khan’s Wilmington residence the following day. There, they allegedly recovered even more weapons, including a Glock 19 handgun equipped with an illegal “switch,” which converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machine gun. They also found a .556 rifle with a scope, a tactical vest, and additional extended magazines and hollow-point ammunition.
The severity of the discovery prompted federal charges, with Khan charged with illegally possessing a machine gun. This federal offense alone carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if he is convicted. He was arraigned and committed to the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia in lieu of $107,200 cash bail.
University of Delaware Interim President Laura Carlson addressed the campus community, confirming that the student had been “temporarily separated from the institution” and banned from all UD campuses while the legal proceedings continue. She stated that while the evidence points to a plan targeting the police department, there were “no known or immediate threats to the University of Delaware community.”
The swift, coordinated response from the New Castle County Police Department, the FBI, and federal prosecutors has been widely praised for neutralizing what authorities called a “grave threat.”
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the essential role campus security plays. The University of Delaware Police Department operates a 24/7, CALEA-accredited 911 communication center and maintains extensive security measures, including over 1,100 public safety cameras, numerous blue light emergency phones, and a Safe Walk escort service, which remain a vital part of campus life.