Anti ICE mesages, FBI investigating Dallas incident as act of targeted violence

Good morning. My name is Joe Rothrock. I am the special agent in charge of the Dallas FBI Field Office.

I want to first start by thanking our partners in local law enforcement, specifically the Dallas Police Department, for their quick and timely response.

I can confirm at this time that the FBI is investigating this incident as an act of targeted violence. It is unfortunately just the most recent example we have seen of targeted violence to include here in North Texas. Back on July 4, we saw a coordinated attack carried out against an immigration detention center in Alvarado, Texas. 

What I can also share with you is that early evidence that we have seen from the rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature. Again, this is just the most recent example of this type of attack.

This will be a whole-of-government response. There will be no resource not utilized to bring all those individuals who are responsible to bring them to justice and to hold them accountable.

While we are not releasing identities of any victims at this time, what I can confirm for you is that no members of law enforcement were hurt during this attack.

If any member of the public has information that would help the FBI’s investigation, I would ask that you please report that to 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Again, any piece of information will be helpful, but this will be an ongoing investigation between us and a number of federal partners and our local partners—again, to ensure that anyone responsible is held accountable.

San Bernardino Sheriff Shannon Dicus said, "In response to recent violence" aimed at several ICE facilities, there will be increased security measures and patrols near Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County.

Homeland Security Press Release:

This morning, a sniper opened fire from a nearby rooftop on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Dallas field office. The shooter fired indiscriminately at the ICE building, including at a van in the sallyport where the victims were shot. Three detainees were shot. One detainee is deceased, and the other two are in critical condition. The gunman was found dead with a self-inflicted gun wound.

“Our prayers are with the families of those killed and our ICE law enforcement. This vile attack was motivated by hatred for ICE,” said Secretary Noem. “For months, we’ve been warning politicians and the media to tone down their rhetoric about ICE law enforcement before someone was killed. This shooting must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences. Comparing ICE Day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols has consequences. The men and women of ICE are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer. Like everyone else, we just want to go home to our families at night. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop. We are praying for the victims and their families.”

This is not the first attack on this facility. Last month, there was a bomb threat on the facility. An unknown male subject, later identified as Bratton Dean Wilkinson, a 36-year-old U.S. citizen, arrived at the reporting entrance of the Dallas Field Office and claimed to have a bomb in his backpack at approximately 6:37 pm local time.

The subject showed the security officer what he claimed to be a “detonator” on his wrist. A shelter-in-place was issued for the facility. The officer called 911 and local police responded with a bomb squad.  Wilkinson was taken into custody by local law enforcement and charged with making terroristic threats.

None of the what has been reported below by CBS or Associated Press has been confirmed by any official sources.

CBS News: Jahn was registered as an independent and last voted in the general election in 2024, according to voter records.

In 2016, Jahn pleaded guilty to delivery of marijuana between the amounts of a quarter of an ounce and five pounds, according to Collin County court records. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and was placed on probation for five years.

Court records show Jahn was arrested in 2015 by the Collin County Sheriff's Office and charged with delivering marijuana. Documents show Jahn had ties to North Texas and Oklahoma. 

According to records, his parents live in Fairview, a town in Collin County, just north of Dallas. Jahn's current address is believed to be in Durant, Oklahoma.

Jahn was registered as an independent and last voted in the general election in 2024, according to voter records.

Associated Press: In late 2017, Jahn drove cross-country to work a minimum-wage job harvesting marijuana for several months, according to Ryan Sanderson, owner of a legal cannabis farm in Washington state.