In a recent and tragic incident, a shooter armed with a rifle opened fire from a nearby roof onto a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) location in Dallas on Wednesday. This violent attack resulted in the deaths of two detainees and left another individual critically injured before the shooter took his own life, according to authorities. The specific motivation behind this attack remains unclear at this time.
The head of the FBI, Kash Patel, took to social media to share a disturbing photograph of a bullet discovered at the scene. The bullet bore the inscription “ANTI-ICE” written in what appears to be a marker, hinting at a possible motive. This incident marks yet another instance of public, targeted violence in the U.S., occurring just two weeks after conservative leader Charlie Kirk was tragically shot by a rifle-wielding assailant from a rooftop.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), “The shooter fired indiscriminately at the ICE building, including at a van in the sallyport where the victims were shot.” The lone detainee who survived the attack is currently in critical condition at a local hospital, while no ICE agents were reported injured. During a news conference, the FBI confirmed that they are investigating the shooting as “an act of targeted violence.”
Officers responded to a call for assistance on North Stemmons Freeway at approximately 6:40 a.m. on Wednesday. They quickly determined that shots had been fired at a government building from an adjacent structure, as stated by Dallas police spokesperson Officer Jonathen E. Maner.
Edwin Cardona, an immigrant from Venezuela, recounted his experience of entering the ICE building with his son for an appointment around 6:20 a.m. when he suddenly heard gunfire. An agent quickly gathered everyone inside the facility and moved them to a secure area, informing them of the active shooter situation. “I was afraid for my family because my family was outside. I felt terrible because I thought something could happen to them. Thank God no,” Cardona expressed, relieved that his family was later reunited with him.
The ICE facility is located along Interstate 35 East, just southwest of Dallas Love Field, a major commercial airport serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. This area is also in close proximity to numerous hotels catering to travelers. Traffic cameras in the vicinity captured a striking image of six lanes of a typically bustling freeway rendered empty, as cars and trucks came to a complete stop near an interstate exit. Emergency responders flooded the area with dozens of vehicles responding to the scene.
Shortly after the shooting, Vice President JD Vance expressed his concerns on the social platform X, stating that “the obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop.” Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas echoed similar sentiments, calling for an end to politically motivated violence. “To every politician who is using rhetoric demonizing ICE and demonizing CPB: stop,” he urged reporters, referencing Customs and Border Protection.
However, following the news conference where officials did not immediately disclose whether the victims were ICE detainees, Democratic U.S. Representative Marc Veasey expressed his discontent with the narrative. He stated he was “absolutely sickened” by the remarks made by some officials and suggested that they may be attempting to control the narrative surrounding the incident.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted a disturbing trend of increased targeting of ICE agents. In a related incident, a July 4 attack at a Texas immigration detention center resulted in injuries to a police officer, who was shot in the neck. Attackers dressed in military-style clothing opened fire outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, southwest of Dallas, leading to the charging of at least 11 individuals in connection with that attack.
Moreover, on July 7, a man with an assault rifle fired dozens of rounds at federal agents leaving a U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen. The assailant, identified as Ryan Louis Mosqueda, injured a responding police officer before being shot and killed by authorities, who later discovered additional weaponry and ammunition in his vehicle.
This troubling pattern of violence against ICE personnel raises significant concerns about safety and security within immigration enforcement agencies in the United States.
