A deadly shooting unfolded Wednesday morning at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, leaving two detainees dead and another fighting for his life. The shooter, identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to officials.
The attack is being investigated “as an act of targeted violence,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Joe Rothrock said. Authorities confirmed that none of the victims were law enforcement officers.
A DHS official said the gunman opened fire from an elevated position, targeting the facility in what appears to have been a planned assault.
Two detainees were killed and a third is in critical condition. A Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, told CNN the victims were among those held at the facility. Officials have not yet released their names.
While the motive remains unclear, FBI Director Kash Patel posted a photo on X showing ammunition recovered near the shooter. One bullet casing had the phrase “ANTI-ICE” written on it in blue ink. Rothrock said messages recovered near the body were “anti-ICE in nature.”
Noem wasted no time pointing the finger. “For months, we’ve been warning politicians and the media to tone down their rhetoric about ICE law enforcement before someone was killed,” she posted on X. “These horrendous killings must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences.”
In her remarks, Noem defended ICE agents, stating they “get up every morning to try and make our communities safer,” and warned against the dehumanization of federal law enforcement.
The FBI has yet to confirm whether the shooter had any political affiliations or a specific ideological motive. So far, the investigation appears to be in its early stages, and officials have released few details beyond confirming the shooter acted alone.
At a news conference outside the facility, Rothrock made it clear that “none of the people shot were members of law enforcement,” emphasizing that the victims were detainees in custody.
The shooting has rattled an already tense political climate surrounding immigration enforcement in the U.S., with this attack now becoming a flashpoint in the national debate over ICE’s role and public perception.
More updates are expected as the FBI and DHS continue their investigation.
