The sniper who killed two migrants and injured another during the deadly attack at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility has been pictured for the first time. Joshua Jahn, 29, was identified as the gunman who opened fire at the ICE detention center around 7 a.m. on Wednesday before taking his own life as police closed in on him.
Several law enforcement sources confirmed the shooter as Joshua Jahn, and the ICE said in a statement that the sniper had “fired indiscriminately.” Police confirmed that the victims were all ICE detainees, while no officers and staff were harmed. Cops are trying to establish a motive behind the attack.
Nothing Yet Clear
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Officials revealed at a press conference on Wednesday morning that ammo recovered near the shooter’s body had been “anti-ICE messages” scrawled on it. FBI Director Kash Patel even released a photo showing the words “Anti-ICE” carved into them.
After authorities named Jahn as the suspected shooter, his brother Noah told NBC News that he didn’t think Jahn was particularly political and had never expressed strong views about immigration.
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“He didn’t have strong feelings about ICE as far as I knew,” Noah said.
He said that Jahn was unemployed at the time but had previously worked as a coder and had been planning to move back in with their parents in Oklahoma.
Public records show Jahn did have a criminal past, including felony charges in 2016 for delivering more than a quarter ounce of marijuana. Records also list him as a registered independent.
Jahn’s brother, even before learning that his brother had been identified as the sniper, described him as “unique,” though he didn’t go into detail. “I didn’t think he was politically interested,” he said, adding that the last time he saw his brother—just two weeks before the shooting—nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
“He wasn’t interested in politics on either side as far as I knew.”
The brothers grew up in Allen, Texas, and both spent time in the Boy Scouts. Noah noted that while Jahn knew how to handle a rifle owned by their parents, “he’s not a marksman, that’s for sure.”
Dark Secrets
When asked about the ICE facility shooting, he insisted, “He would not be able to make any shots like that.” Meanwhile, as investigators processed the scene in Dallas, photos show a poster taped to the side of a vehicle believed to belong to Jahn. The sign carried black splatters and a cryptic message: “Radioactive fallout from nuclear detonations that’ve passed over these areas more than 2x since 1951.”
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The gunman fired “from an elevated position” while migrants were inside the transport van. He was later found dead on the roof of a nearby immigration lawyer’s office, according to WFAA.
The FBI’s Dallas Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Joe Rothrock, said at a Wednesday morning press conference that the shooting is being investigated “as an act of targeted violence.”
“What I can share with you is that early evidence we’ve seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contains messages that are anti-ICE in nature. Again, this is just the most recent example of this type of attack,” Rothrock said.
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Sharing a photo of the ammo rounds on the ground, Patel said in a post, “While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack… These despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement are not a one-off.”
While the sniper appeared to be targeting migrants in ICE custody, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on X that the incident should be seen as a broader attack on ICE and law enforcement.
“We will continue to do everything in our power to combat the alarming increase of targeted attacks against ICE and all law enforcement by evil, twisted individuals,” Paxton wrote.
Vice President JD Vance echoed the concern, adding, “The obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop. I’m praying for everyone hurt in this attack and for their families.”
The ICE center has faced repeated protests from pro-immigration groups in recent months.
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Just last month, Bratton Dean Wilkinson was arrested after allegedly making a bomb threat at the facility. Authorities said he showed up at the entrance on August 25, claimed he had a bomb in his backpack, and even showed what he called a detonator strapped to his wrist. He is now charged with making terroristic threats.
On July 4, another violent incident unfolded at an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, where 10 people were arrested after opening fire on law enforcement officers.
Officials said the attackers, who were armed and wearing tactical gear, were trying to disrupt operations at the center. They now face charges of terrorism and aggravated assault.
