WILMINGTON, DE — A late-night encounter in Canby Park West set off a sweeping state and federal investigation last week, culminating in the arrest of a Wilmington man and the discovery of weapons, tactical gear, and handwritten notes that authorities allege outlined potential violent plans.
New Castle County Police say the incident began on November 24 at approximately 11:47 p.m., when B-Squad patrol officers conducting a property check observed a white Toyota Tacoma parked in the closed parkland. Officers initiated a traffic stop and contacted the driver and sole occupant, identified as 25-year-old Luqmaan Khan of Wilmington.
According to police, officers developed probable cause to order Khan out of the vehicle, but he refused to comply and resisted arrest before being taken into custody. During the initial on-scene search, officers reported finding a loaded .357 Glock handgun, a micro conversion kit, four loaded 27-round extended magazines, a ballistic hard plate, binoculars, a laptop, and a composition notebook.
The vehicle was towed to New Castle County Police Headquarters, where a search warrant was executed. Police say additional items were located, including a notebook containing handwritten notes described as detailing warfare techniques, premeditated assault plans, and a diagram referencing the University of Delaware Police Department. The university was notified of the findings.
Khan was charged at the state level with possession of a large-capacity magazine, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, resisting arrest, failure to have insurance in possession, presence in a park after dark, expired tags, and failure to have a license in possession. He was arraigned and committed in lieu of $107,200 cash bail before being turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for further investigation.
Federal authorities filed additional charges following an expanded inquiry. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, agents from the FBI Baltimore Division’s Wilmington Resident Agency and New Castle County Police executed a search warrant on November 25 at Khan’s Wilmington residence. Investigators say they recovered a Glock 19 handgun equipped with an illegal machinegun conversion device, a .556 rifle with optics, eleven extended magazines, hollow point ammunition, and a tactical vest.
The federal complaint alleges Khan possessed a machinegun, a charge that carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say handwritten notes discovered in the vehicle discussed weapons, potential attack scenarios, and methods for evading law enforcement. One page allegedly referenced a member of the University of Delaware Police Department and included a labeled diagram of a police facility.
Federal and county officials emphasized the significance of the coordinated response. Acting U.S. Attorney Julianne E. Murray said the case demonstrates how interagency collaboration “neutralized a grave threat to Delaware before the worst could come to pass.” FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul and New Castle County Police Colonel James J. Leonard III also commended the rapid work of patrol officers and investigators.
The FBI Baltimore Division’s Wilmington Resident Agency continues to lead the federal investigation, with assistance from New Castle County Police.
Both state and federal charges remain allegations. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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