Federal authorities took a 31-year-old man from Georgia into custody on Thursday, accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Atlanta. Prosecutors have labeled this incident as an “act of terrorism.”
Inique Hinton, hailing from Douglasville, now faces charges for attempting to set fire to a federal building as well as damage to government property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg stated, “An attack on federal property is an attack against our democracy. It is an act of terrorism. It is an act of political violence, and it cannot stand,” during a press conference addressed to the media.
Reports indicate that security footage captured Hinton near the ICE facility located at 180 Ted Turner Drive shortly before 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Just minutes later, he allegedly ignited an object and hurled it towards the building, hitting the exterior fence and causing flames to spread.
Investigators discovered burnt fabric, lighter fluid, a glass bottle, and a lighter at the scene.
Hinton was apprehended on Thursday by the FBI at a residence in Cobb County.
“This was clearly an attack directed at the ICE facility,” Hertzberg commented, stressing that prosecutors would respond with seriousness because “we need to send the message that this is not OK.”
He emphasized that civil discourse is welcome—debate on immigration can happen—but, “we cannot allow criminal acts or acts of terror, like the one that occurred three days ago in our city.”
Previously, the Atlanta ICE building had been targeted about six years ago during the summer of 2020, Hertzberg noted. “I want to make very clear we are not going back to that,” he added. “We will not tolerate attacks on government property and against federal law enforcement.”
Interestingly, while Atlanta police witnessed the event and attempted to pursue the suspect that night, they were unable to nab him. The FBI then released images of an unidentified person and offered a reward of up to $20,000 for tips leading to identification and arrest.
If convicted of attempted arson, Hinton could face a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The charge regarding damage to government property carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years.
Authorities confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing.
