Suspected Dallas ICE Facility Shooter Identified as Joshua Jahn
Authorities say Jahn, 29, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing at a Dallas ICE field office, killing one detainee and wounding two others; bullets inscribed with 'ANTI-ICE' found near his body.
Joshua Jahn, 29, has been identified by law enforcement as the suspected shooter who opened fire at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas early Wednesday, killing one detainee and injuring two others. Jahn died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. Bullets inscribed with the words “ANTI-ICE” were recovered near his body, prompting President Donald Trump and other administration officials to describe the attack as an assault on the immigration system tied to the administration’s hardline stance on immigration. Officials have not publicly disclosed an official motive, and the investigation is ongoing.
Authorities said the assault unfolded before 7 a.m., with Jahn firing from atop a nearby building and targeting a van near the sally port at the Dallas ICE facility. Two detainees were killed or wounded in the attack; one detainee died at the scene and another was hospitalized with injuries. Investigators have not provided a formal motive, though the inscription found near Jahn’s body and the political reactions have shaped the public discussion around immigration policy and security at ICE sites. The investigation is being conducted by federal, state, and local authorities as they review surveillance footage, digital records, and Jahn’s personal history.
Two properties are connected to Jahn and were visited by investigators: a residence in Fairview, Texas, and another property in Durant, Oklahoma. Jahn’s brother, Noah Jahn, told NBC News that the siblings were planning to move to the Oklahoma property and that the last time he saw his brother was about two weeks earlier at their parents’ house. Law enforcement officials conducted searches at both sites as part of the ongoing inquiry.
A profile consistent with Jahn’s name appeared in multiple social and professional listings. Public records indicate Jahn attended the University of Texas at Dallas from 2014 to 2015 and Collin College from 2015 to 2017, studying mechanical engineering and computer science, respectively. Collin College confirmed that a student with the same name attended on and off until 2018, and UT Dallas said a person with the same name and birthday briefly attended more than a decade ago.
Jahn also held a short stint with Solartime USA, a Texas-based solar energy company, in 2018 and 2019. The company’s chief executive, Martyna Kowalczyk, told The Associated Press that Jahn worked there for a few months “many years ago.” His brother described Jahn as familiar with their parents’ rifle, though Noah Jahn told NBC News that his brother was not a marksman and suggested Jahn might not have been capable of precise shooting from a rooftop.
Friends who spoke to ABC News described Jahn as someone interested in video games and internet culture. They recalled him as nonpolitical in high school, noting his enthusiasm for gaming and his use of a Steam account that showed thousands of hours spent on titles such as Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and Rust. A Reddit account linked to the same username had not been active for years, and Reddit said it had suspended the account “out of an abundance of caution.” TIME could not independently verify the accounts.
Public records indicate Jahn had prior interaction with the criminal justice system related to drugs. In June 2016, he pleaded guilty to delivery of marijuana weighing between a quarter of an ounce and five pounds, was fined $500, and was placed on probation for five years. A judge granted early release in March 2017 based on Jahn’s compliance with supervision, and the proceedings were ultimately dismissed. A 2017 Associated Press report described a cross-country period in which Jahn traveled for work harvesting marijuana, with a Washington state cannabis farm owner noting that Jahn appeared directionless and lived out of his car at times.
Political considerations have loomed over the investigation, though officials have not established a formal motive. Jahn registered to vote as an independent in Oklahoma and voted once in the 2024 general election. The New York Times reported that he voted in a Democratic primary in Texas in March 2020. A former Boy Scout troop mate told NBC News that Jahn occasionally voiced political opinions on immigration, though that same source said Jahn did not seem to be politically aligned with any particular ideology. A senior official in the Trump administration characterized Jahn as politically motivated, while other officials cautioned that no definitive evidence had been released publicly to confirm that conclusion.
Sources familiar with the case said investigators are examining Jahn’s online activity, personal associations, and financial records to determine whether any ideological or personal grievances may have influenced the attack. The FBI said it is leading the investigation, with support from local and state authorities, and that investigators are pursuing all angles while keeping in mind the broader context of immigration policy debates and security measures at ICE facilities. In the immediate aftermath, White House and administration spokespeople sought to frame the incident within ongoing political debates about immigration enforcement and border policy, while officials at ICE stressed that the attack targeted a government agency in the line of duty and that such violence has no place in a democracy.
As investigators piece together Jahn’s movements and relationships in the weeks and months leading up to the shooting, families in North Texas and Oklahoma reflected on a man who appeared to have drifted from his early interests in technology and service through the Boy Scouts toward a more troubling, less defined path. Authorities have not offered a final assessment of Jahn’s motive, and officials have emphasized that the investigation remains active and that more details could emerge as evidence is reviewed and interviews are completed. The incident has intensified the national discussion about the security of immigration enforcement facilities and the political forces shaping immigration policy in the United States.