A man who targeted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas has been identified as Joshua Jahn, a 29-year-old with a deep resentment towards the U.S. government. The shooting occurred early Wednesday morning, with Jahn using a rifle to fire from a nearby rooftop at vehicles carrying ICE agents and detainees. One detainee was killed, and two others were critically injured, but no ICE personnel were harmed.
According to authorities, Jahn’s handwritten notes, found at his home, revealed that his intention was to incite terror by killing federal agents. He expressed a particular hatred for ICE and planned the attack meticulously. A note he left behind mentioned, “Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?” implying he used armor-piercing rounds.
The attack unfolded around 6:30 a.m. when Jahn began firing indiscriminately at the ICE office building, including a van holding detainees. Investigators later confirmed that Jahn had carefully planned his assault, arriving before dawn with a ladder to gain access to the building’s roof. He had legally obtained the bolt-action rifle used in the attack just a month before.
Jahn’s actions shocked his family, with his brother describing him as someone who was not particularly political or interested in ICE. His brother, Noah Jahn, noted that Joshua had a background in coding but had been unemployed at the time of the shooting.
The attack highlights growing tensions and increasing violence against ICE agents amid heightened immigration enforcement. In the past few months, ICE facilities have become targets for gunmen, with other incidents occurring in Texas and surrounding areas. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has now ordered increased security at ICE facilities nationwide in response to these threats.
Federal agents, despite being under fire, managed to rescue the detainees and provide lifesaving aid. The FBI continues to investigate the motive behind the attack, and authorities have not found any direct connection between Jahn and any extremist group.
