Dallas ICE Shooting: Suspect Sought to 'Terrorize' ICE Agents, Officials Say
Authorities say the gunman acted alone, left notes describing plans to terrorize ICE, and targeted the agency rather than detainees; no federal personnel were injured.
A gunman opened fire at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas early Wednesday, killing one detainee and wounding two others before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on a nearby rooftop, authorities said. The weapon was a bolt-action rifle legally purchased in August. No federal personnel were injured.
Investigators said the shooter acted alone and left writings describing the attack as an effort to terrorize ICE employees, whom he portrayed as involved in 'human trafficking.' 'Yes, it was just me and my brain,' one note reportedly read, according to U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson. The notes described a 'game plan' for the attack and indicated the perpetrator did not intend to target detainees.
FBI and DHS officials said the suspect had explored online resources and security data, including apps that track ICE locations and a downloaded list of DHS facilities. FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators found a 'high degree of pre-attack planning' and noted the suspect stated he did not expect to survive the attack.
A handwritten note recovered from Jahn's home read: 'Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, Is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?' Patel said. Authorities also recovered a document titled 'Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management' containing a list of DHS facilities, and an image of an unused bullet inscribed with the phrase 'ANTI-ICE' was released by prosecutors.
Wednesday’s attack was the third time this year a DHS facility in Texas was targeted. In July, a police officer was shot near an ICE detention center in Prairieland, and in a separate July incident a Michigan man opened fire on a U.S. Border Patrol station in McAllen, authorities said.
Two weeks earlier, Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA and a vocal ally of former President Donald Trump, was shot dead by a rooftop sniper during a Utah speaking event, prompting renewed warnings about political violence. Trump and members of his administration quickly blamed left-wing activists for the Dallas attack, though investigators have not tied Jahn to any outside group. On Truth Social, Trump accused 'Radical Left Democrats' of stoking anti-ICE violence and said he would sign an executive order to go after 'domestic terrorism networks.'
DHS said ICE would increase security at facilities across the country as the investigation continues. Officials stressed there is no evidence of a broader conspiracy and urged restraint in political commentary, while acknowledging the nationwide focus on the safety of immigration-enforcement personnel amid ongoing tensions over immigration policy.
The investigation remains active as federal authorities assess potential threats and review security protocols at ICE facilities.