DALLAS – FBI Director Kash Patel says the gunman in Wednesday's deadly attack on a Texas ICE facility searched for videos of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Patel says the gunman, 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, also researched apps tracking the movements of immigration enforcement agents and downloaded a list of Department of Homeland Security locations, in a clearly targeted attack.
Acting D.A. Nancy Larsson said, "He hoped his actions would terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work, which he called human trafficking. And this, what he did, is the very definition of terrorism."
Meanwhile, DHS facilities across the country are upping security measures in light of Wednesday's shooting, which they say represents an overall surge in violence against immigration officials.
Jahn reportedly opened fire from a rooftop outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility on Wednesday in Dallas. Authorities say the gunman fired randomly at the building and at a van filled with detainees before turning the gun on himself. One detainee died, and two others were injured.
"Rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature," said Joseph Rothrock with the FBI's Dallas Field Office.
Authorities have released a photo showing "anti-ICE" written on a shell casing found near the gunman. It's not dissimilar to Charlie Kirk's accused assassin who also wrote on his ammunition.
Donell Harvin, former D.C. Chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence, spoke about the shooting on CBN's Faith Nation.
"These folks emulate each other," Harvin explained. "I don't like to use the word 'copycat' because they're not actually doing the same thing but they're taking some of the same tactics, techniques, and procedures that we've seen. It's intended to send a specific message. It's intended to really stoke fear in the population that they're targeting."
Vice President J.D. Vance responded to the attack from a fundraiser in North Carolina. "There's some evidence that we have, it's not yet public, but we know this person was politically motivated," said Vance.
On the ground in Dallas, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had sharp words for Democrats and their language about ICE. "This must stop," said Cruz. "To every politician who is using rhetoric demonizing ICE and demonizing CBP… the divisive rhetoric tragically has real consequence."
No ICE agents were hurt in this shooting, but officials say attacks and threats on ICE agents are up 1,000 percent since January.
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