DALLAS (BN24) — A gunman killed one Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainee and critically wounded two others during a sniper-style attack at the Dallas ICE field office before taking his own life, federal officials said, marking a deadly escalation of anti-immigration enforcement violence.
The shooter, identified as Joshua Jahn by multiple senior law enforcement officials, fired indiscriminately at the ICE building from an elevated position on a nearby roof, targeting a van in the facility’s sallyport where the victims were located, the Department of Homeland Security said.
Joe Rothrock, special agent in charge of the Dallas FBI office, characterized the morning attack as an act of “targeted violence” after investigators discovered bullet shell casings with “ANTI-ICE” written in blue ink. The evidence suggested the facility was deliberately chosen as a target for the assault.
DHS corrected earlier casualty reports during the afternoon, stating that as of 2:30 p.m. local time, one detainee had died and two others remained in critical condition. Initial statements from the department had indicated two fatalities, creating confusion about the exact toll from the shooting.
No ICE officers suffered physical injuries during the attack, Dallas police confirmed at a news conference. The victims’ identities have not been publicly released, though Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that one of the wounded is a Mexican national currently hospitalized and receiving medical care.
Jahn was found dead at the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the assault on the federal immigration facility. Law enforcement officials described the attack pattern as that of a sniper, firing multiple rounds from his elevated position down into the facility’s secure entry area.
The 2016 criminal records show Jahn faced felony charges in Texas for delivering marijuana in amounts between one-quarter ounce and five pounds, to which he pleaded guilty. Public records indicate he was a registered independent voter who last participated in November elections.
Recent addresses associate Jahn with Oklahoma, though previous residences were listed in Texas, according to available records. State criminal documentation describes him as a 6-foot-tall, 210-pound male with brown hair and brown eyes, born in Texas.
Mexican consular officials have established contact with the injured Mexican national’s family and are providing support and legal assistance while seeking authorization to visit the hospitalized victim. The consulate maintains ongoing communication with investigating authorities regarding the case.
“The consulate is in ongoing communication with the authorities in charge of the investigation and is waiting for authorization to visit the hospitalized Mexican citizen,” Mexico’s foreign ministry said in an official statement.
The attack occurred during morning hours when detainees were apparently being transported in the sallyport area, a secure zone typically used for prisoner transfers at detention facilities. The shooter’s elevated position allowed him to fire down into this normally protected space.
Federal investigators have not disclosed the shooter’s specific motive or what prompted him to target the ICE facility, though the anti-ICE messaging on ammunition suggests ideological opposition to immigration enforcement operations.
The incident represents one of the most serious attacks on federal immigration facilities in recent years, occurring amid heightened political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement policies. The deliberate targeting of detainees rather than officers raises questions about the shooter’s specific intentions.
DHS officials emphasized that the attack was directed at the ICE operation itself, pointing to the anti-ICE inscriptions as evidence of the shooter’s hostile intent toward federal immigration enforcement activities.
The FBI’s Dallas office has taken the lead in investigating the shooting, working with local law enforcement and DHS security personnel to reconstruct the events and examine the shooter’s background and potential connections to anti-immigration groups.
The critical condition of the two surviving victims leaves their prognosis uncertain, with medical officials not immediately releasing details about the nature or severity of their injuries sustained during the attack.
The shooting highlights security vulnerabilities at immigration detention facilities, which house individuals awaiting deportation proceedings or immigration court hearings. These facilities have faced periodic protests but rarely experience direct violent attacks.
Immigration advocacy groups have not immediately commented on the shooting, though the targeting of detainees rather than enforcement officers complicates typical narratives surrounding anti-ICE sentiment and resistance to immigration policies.
The attack occurred as the Trump administration continues implementing expanded immigration enforcement operations, including increased detention capacity and deportation efforts that have generated political controversy and public protests.
Federal security protocols at ICE facilities may face review following this incident, particularly regarding perimeter security and protection of areas where detainees are transported between buildings or vehicles.
The investigation continues as federal authorities work to establish a complete timeline of events and determine whether the shooter acted alone or had connections to broader anti-immigration enforcement networks or organizations.
