Dallas Shooter Sought to “Terrorize” ICE Workers, Officials Say

Dallas Shooter Sought to “Terrorize” ICE Workers, Officials Say

Dallas, Texas September 25, 2025 Federal officials revealed that the gunman who attacked a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas expressly aimed to terrorize ICE agents, according to notes recovered at his home, law enforcement statements, and investigation findings. The shooting killed one detainee, critically injured two others, and ended in the gunman’s suicide. AP News+3Reuters+3AP News+3

The Attack and the Aftermath

• The perpetrator has been identified as Joshua Jahn, a 29-year-old from Fairview, Texas. After opening fire from a rooftop vantage point early Wednesday morning, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot. Reuters+2AP News+2

• The shots were directed at both the ICE facility and a transport van containing detainees. One detainee died at the scene, and two others were hospitalized in critical condition. No ICE employees or law enforcement officers were reported injured. AP News+3Reuters+3AP News+3

• The Department of Homeland Security described the assault as a “vile attack . . . motivated by hatred for ICE” and confirmed the shooter fired “indiscriminately” at the facility and the van. U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Evidence of Intent: Notes, Apps, and Messaging

• In his handwritten notes, Jahn wrote that he intended to “maximize lethality against ICE personnel and maximize property damage” while seeking to avoid harming detainees. AP News+3The Guardian+3AP News+3

• One note reportedly read, “Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, ‘is there a sniper with AP [armor-piercing] rounds on that roof?’” Reuters+2AP News+2

• Investigators also found that Jahn used apps and conducted online searches to track ICE agents and locate Department of Homeland Security facilities. He had downloaded a DHS facilities list and reviewed maps and resources tied to facility locations. Reuters+2AP News+2

• A bullet casing retrieved at the scene had “ANTI-ICE” inscribed on it, reinforcing the ideological nature of the attack. Reuters+2Reuters+2

Official Statements & Investigative Findings

• Joseph Rothrock, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Dallas office, said Jahn “specifically intended to kill ICE agents,” and fired at vehicles carrying both ICE personnel and detainees, as well as into windows of office areas where ICE employees worked. AP News+3Federal Bureau of Investigation+3Reuters+3

• Authorities say Jahn carried out “considerable pre-attack planning,” including calculating where detainee transport would occur and locating vantage points. Federal Bureau of Investigation+2Reuters+2

• Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Nancy Larson, emphasized at a press conference that there was no indication Jahn belonged to any organized group; the evidence so far supports that he acted alone. Reuters+2AP News+2

Broader Implications & Reactions

• The shooting has intensified concerns about politically motivated violence, especially targeting federal agencies like ICE. In response, the Department of Homeland Security said it will boost security measures at ICE offices nationwide. Politico+2Reuters+2

• Some officials warned that rhetoric critical of ICE may have contributed to a climate encouraging violence. Secretary Kristi Noem called out media and political figures for inflammatory comparisons of ICE to oppressive forces. U.S. Department of Homeland Security+1

• Congressional leaders from both parties expressed shock at the scale and planning of the attack and pledged support for protecting federal personnel and facilities. Reuters+1

A Centrist View: Threat, Responsibility & Balance

From a centrists’ perspective, the Dallas attack reveals how dangerous rhetoric, political polarization, and extremist fringe beliefs can converge into real violence.

• It’s essential to recognize the ideological aspect of the attack: Jahn’s intention wasn’t accidental, but calculated to instill fear in ICE workers. That makes it more than a random shooting, it’s terrorism by design.

• At the same time, responsibility is not solely individual: public figures, media, and political rhetoric have a role in shaping environments in which such acts can feel justified to fringes.

• Protecting law enforcement and federal agency staff should be a priority, but responses must also preserve civil liberties, guard against overreach, and avoid targeting communities indiscriminately.

• Finally, this incident underscores the need for better mechanisms to identify and intercept individuals with extremist or violent leanings before they escalate to attacks. Intelligence, community reporting, mental health resources, these matter.

The evidence assembled by investigators strongly supports the conclusion that Joshua Jahn sought to terrorize ICE personnel, not by chance, but by design. But the attack doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It calls for sober reflection on how polarized discourse, ideological hostility, and systemic vulnerabilities can create pathways to violence, and how society must respond without overcorrection or fear.