The normally quiet streets of Dallas erupted in horror on Wednesday morning when a sniper opened fire at an ICE facility, killing two migrants and seriously injuring another.
The suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, took his own life as law enforcement closed in.
Authorities say the shooting appeared targeted at ICE detainees, raising alarms about politically motivated violence in the region.
The Alleged Shooter’s Family Background
Joshua Jahn grew up in Allen, Texas, alongside his brother Noah.
The siblings participated in Boy Scouts and reportedly learned to handle firearms at home.
Despite this upbringing, Noah said he never believed his brother was particularly politically active.
“I didn’t think he was politically interested. He wasn’t showing opinions about immigration or politics as far as I knew,” Noah told reporters.
Joshua had a previous arrest in 2015 for felony marijuana charges and was unemployed at the time of the shooting.
He had planned to move back in with his parents in Oklahoma.
Records show he voted in the Democratic primaries in 2020 but was registered as an independent in 2024.
Mother’s Activism Sparks Attention
The suspect’s mother, Sharon Jahn, has been publicly vocal about her liberal views and gun control advocacy.
She followed figures such as Kamala Harris, Rachel Maddow, and Democratic Socialist accounts on Facebook.
After the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, she publicly criticized Texas Senators Ted Cruz, John Cornyn, and Governor Greg Abbott for supporting gun rights, accusing them of prioritizing “blood money” over people’s safety.
Jahn also posted a hopeful poem calling for a world without guns: “If we only have love, we can melt all the guns, and give the new world to our daughters and sons.”
She was seen visibly upset when approached by reporters on Tuesday.
Details of the Shooting
Authorities reported that Joshua Jahn perched on a roof adjacent to the ICE facility and fired into an unmarked transport van carrying migrants.
The bullets were found with “anti-ICE” written in blue ink, suggesting an ideological motive.
Witness Arianny Sierra, who was nearby during the incident, recalled hearing a rapid series of gunshots: “There were like 20 shots in a row.”
Law enforcement confirmed that no officers were injured.
The shooter also damaged the facility windows while aiming at the van. Homeland Security investigators are still piecing together his motives.
Public and Political Reactions
FBI Director Kash Patel described the attack as politically motivated, linking it to a broader pattern of assaults on law enforcement.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called it an attack not just on ICE but on law enforcement as a whole.
“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 said.
Vice President JD Vance condemned the attack and prayed for the victims’ families.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz used the incident to urge Americans to tone down politically charged rhetoric, citing recent violent acts including the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah.
Investigators Continue to Probe Motives
Images at the scene showed a poster on a vehicle believed to belong to Jahn, referencing nuclear fallout.
Authorities continue to review evidence and have not ruled out additional factors that may have influenced the shooter.
The tragic event underscores the ongoing concerns about targeted attacks on law enforcement and ICE personnel across the country.