By Steve Neavling
Ten people were charged with attempted murder after a police officer was shot outside an ICE detention center in Texas on the Fourth of July.
The shooting happened outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, about 30 miles south of Fort Worth, after a group set off fireworks and vandalized vehicles parked at the facility, The New York Times reports. A federal officer was shot in the neck but has since been released from the hospital, according to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
Federal prosecutors said the group “ambushed” law enforcement during what appeared to be a coordinated attack. Each of the 10 defendants faces three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer and three counts of discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
The suspects were identified as Cameron Arnold, Savanna Batten, Nathan Baumann, Zachary Evetts, Joy Gibson, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Seth Sikes, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto. Most are from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. An 11th person, Daniel Rolando Sanchez, is expected to face separate charges.
Court records say the group first launched fireworks at the detention center around 10:37 p.m., then vandalized cars with graffiti that read “Ice pig” and “traitor.” Minutes later, someone opened fire from nearby woods, hitting an Alvarado police officer in the neck. Investigators later found spent 5.56-caliber shell casings, commonly used in AR-15-style rifles.
A Johnson County detective pulled over a fleeing van driven by one of the suspects, Bradford Morris. Inside were two AR-15-style rifles, a pistol, ballistic vests, and a helmet. Seven others were found nearby, some armed and wearing tactical gear, according to court filings.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
