Texas ICE Facility Attack Charges

Authorities have arrested two individuals and a third since Monday, charging them for their alleged involvement in an armed ambush at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Texas, raising the total number of suspects to at least 14.

Philip Thomas and Lynette Reading are said to have assisted suspect Benjamin in evading detection. It’s reported that Thomas and another suspect engaged in a group text conversation indicating they conducted “reconnaissance” prior to the attack on the night of July 4.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) indicated that they located Benjamin after a manhunt that lasted several days. It’s noted that a former Marine, referred to as “song,” had purchased four firearms linked to the ambush and allegedly discharged them at law enforcement officials. The department suggested that he might have been hiding in the woods until after dark based on mobile location data.

Thomas reportedly told authorities that he had been staying at Benjamin’s residence for several months, having met the other suspects in Cleburn, Texas. Allegations also include Sharp coordinating the transfer of firearms from Thomas to another associate via a messaging app.

Previous arrests have included 10 individuals cited as part of the conspiracy, with law enforcement agencies uncovering numerous weapons, body armor, and communication devices, as well as signs with slogans like “Fighting the Fear of ICE in Class Wars.” Further materials related to “organization for attack” were also discovered at another suspect’s residence.

The DOJ claims that the group chat purportedly included discussions and plans for the ambush, even providing a detailed description of the area and photographs after the reconnaissance. Efforts to obtain comments from the DOJ’s Northern Texas office and the FBI’s Dallas Field office have gone unanswered.