U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other federal law enforcement officers conducting immigration enforcement have been targeted in at least two ambushes in Texas in recent days.
Anti-government suspects shot a police officer in the neck while carrying propaganda materials calling for 'class war' against ICE
The Justice Department on Monday named 10 individuals charged with shooting a police officer in the neck and opening fire on other correctional officers outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, on the Fourth of July. The group, donning all black, allegedly first began shooting fireworks at the facility, which is being used by the Department of Homeland Security to hold people related to immigration violations or awaiting deportation.
The defendants are Cameron Arnold, also known as Autumn Hill; Savannah Batten; Nathan Baumann; Zachary Evetts; Joy Gibson; Bradford Morris, also known as Meagan Morris; Maricela Rueda; Seth Sikes; Elizabeth Soto; and Ines Soto. The complaint charges each of them with three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer and three counts of discharging a firearm during, in relation to and in furtherance of a violent crime.
Approximately 10 minutes after convening at the ICE facility, one or two individuals broke off from the main group and began to spray graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot, authorities said. Photos included in the criminal complaint, filed in the Northern District of Texas, show vehicles tagged with the messages "ICE pig" and "F--- you pigs." Correction officers dialed 911 and an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene.
Immediately after the officer got out of his vehicle, one defendant positioned in nearby woods shot the officer in the neck, according to the complaint. Another assailant, wearing a green mask and standing across the street, then fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.
"The shooting was captured by both CCTV and the APD officer's body-worn camera," the complaint says
The FBI recovered AR-style rifles from the scene. The group fled from the detention center separately – some on foot, some in vehicles – and were later stopped by other law enforcement officers. The complaint notes that the defendants were "dressed in black, military-style clothing," some were wearing body armor, some were armed, and some had two-way radios.
Prosecutors said a total of twelve sets of body armor were found during searches of vehicles associated with the defendants, on their persons, and in the area around the Prairieland Detention Center. Law enforcement also found spray paint, magazines containing ammunition and flyers stating, "FIGHT ICE TERROR WITH CLASS WAR!" and "FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS." A flag was found that read, "RESIST FASCISM – FIGHT OLIGARCHY."
Anti-government suspects shot a police officer in the neck while carrying propaganda materials calling for 'class war' against ICE
The Justice Department on Monday named 10 individuals charged with shooting a police officer in the neck and opening fire on other correctional officers outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, on the Fourth of July. The group, donning all black, allegedly first began shooting fireworks at the facility, which is being used by the Department of Homeland Security to hold people related to immigration violations or awaiting deportation.
The defendants are Cameron Arnold, also known as Autumn Hill; Savannah Batten; Nathan Baumann; Zachary Evetts; Joy Gibson; Bradford Morris, also known as Meagan Morris; Maricela Rueda; Seth Sikes; Elizabeth Soto; and Ines Soto. The complaint charges each of them with three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer and three counts of discharging a firearm during, in relation to and in furtherance of a violent crime.
Approximately 10 minutes after convening at the ICE facility, one or two individuals broke off from the main group and began to spray graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot, authorities said. Photos included in the criminal complaint, filed in the Northern District of Texas, show vehicles tagged with the messages "ICE pig" and "F--- you pigs." Correction officers dialed 911 and an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene.
Immediately after the officer got out of his vehicle, one defendant positioned in nearby woods shot the officer in the neck, according to the complaint. Another assailant, wearing a green mask and standing across the street, then fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.
"The shooting was captured by both CCTV and the APD officer's body-worn camera," the complaint says
The FBI recovered AR-style rifles from the scene. The group fled from the detention center separately – some on foot, some in vehicles – and were later stopped by other law enforcement officers. The complaint notes that the defendants were "dressed in black, military-style clothing," some were wearing body armor, some were armed, and some had two-way radios.
Prosecutors said a total of twelve sets of body armor were found during searches of vehicles associated with the defendants, on their persons, and in the area around the Prairieland Detention Center. Law enforcement also found spray paint, magazines containing ammunition and flyers stating, "FIGHT ICE TERROR WITH CLASS WAR!" and "FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS." A flag was found that read, "RESIST FASCISM – FIGHT OLIGARCHY."
