FBI Director Kash Patel announced Thursday that investigators have uncovered substantial evidence indicating that the Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility attack was meticulously planned.
Patel said 29-year-old Joshua Jahn conducted online searches for “Charlie Kirk Shot Video” and ballistics information in the days leading up to the shooting.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Jahn appeared to be attempting to copy the Kirk assassination.
“The motive was becoming increasingly clear,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson.
She added that the attack appears to have been inspired by Kirk and “his cold-blooded murder,” noting that shell casings recovered from the scene contained anti-ICE messages.
Investigators also recovered a document titled “Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management,” which included a list of DHS facilities, along with handwritten notes stating an intent to “give ICE agents real terror.”
Patel emphasized the extensive work undertaken by the FBI’s Dallas field office and headquarters, noting that agents have been processing digital devices, analyzing communications and reviewing writings from Jahn’s residence.
“Further accumulated evidence to this point indicates a high degree of pre-attack planning,” Patel said.
The attack occurred Wednesday morning when Jahn fired from a nearby rooftop into the ICE facility.
Officials reported that he targeted both the building and a van located in the sally port, killing one individual and injuring two others before taking his own life around 7 a.m. No law enforcement officers were injured.
Jahn’s criminal history includes a 2016 deferred felony marijuana charge for which he was placed on probation.
The Post Millennial reports that Ryan Sanderson, a former employer, said Jahn traveled across the country to work for minimum wage harvesting marijuana and often lived out of his car.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemned the attack, linking it to what she described as inflammatory rhetoric against ICE officers.
“Comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols has consequences,” Noem said.
She stressed that violent acts against federal immigration enforcement cannot be normalized and reaffirmed support for personnel performing their duties.
Voter records indicate Jahn participated in the Democratic primary in March 2020 but had not cast a ballot since, Trending Politics reports.
Authorities continue to investigate whether others had prior knowledge of his plans.
Analysts note that the combination of meticulous pre-attack research and voting history may shed light on his motivations, though investigators emphasize the need for a thorough review of his digital footprint, personal communications and associates.
Federal authorities continue to review Jahn’s communications and online activity to better understand his actions and prevent similar incidents.
Previous threats against ICE facilities in Texas—including a bomb threat in August and prior shootings in July—illustrate the heightened risks facing the agency.
Experts caution that attacks on law enforcement often stem from personal grievances combined with exposure to radicalizing content online.
While political debate remains essential to democracy, authorities stress that violent behavior falls outside acceptable discourse.
Careful examination of suspects’ communications, histories and motivations is critical to understanding these incidents and protecting federal personnel.
