Who was Joshua Jahn? Sniper identified in deadly Dallas ICE facility shooting

Joshua Jahn, 29, has been identified as the sniper who opened fire on a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas on Wednesday morning, killing two ICE detainees and injuring another before taking his own life, according to the Daily Mail.

Authorities said Jahn fired from the roof of a nearby immigration attorney’s office, targeting a transport van carrying migrants at the ICE field office. Multiple agencies, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Dallas police, responded to the attack, which unfolded shortly after 7 a.m. local time.

Shooting suspect had past marijuana charge

CNN reported that Joshua Jahn, the 29-year-old suspect accused of fatally shooting two detainees and injuring another at a Dallas ICE facility, had a prior criminal record dating back a decade.

According to court records cited by the news outlet, Jahn was charged in 2016, at the age of 19, with delivering more than one-fourth ounce of marijuana. He pleaded guilty, and the case against him was deferred, placing him on probation. Texas law classifies the offense as a “state jail felony,” which is the least severe type of felony in the state.

Public records indicate that Jahn had been living in a Dallas suburb prior to the shooting incident.

The news outlet also reported that Jahn voted in the Democratic primary in March 2020 but has not voted since.

Anti-ICE motive suggested

The FBI revealed that ammunition recovered at the scene contained anti-ICE messaging. Director Kash Patel shared a photo of a bullet engraved with the phrase “ANTI-ICE,” suggesting the attack was ideologically motivated. “These despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement are not a one-off,” Patel said.

DHS confirmed that Jahn “fired indiscriminately” at the building and the detainee transport van. The surviving victim remains in critical condition, while no ICE personnel were injured.

Traffic around the ICE facility, located near Interstate 35 East and close to Dallas Love Field airport, was brought to a standstill as dozens of emergency vehicles secured the area.

Kristi Noem condemns anti-ICE rhetoric

Amid growing concern over politically charged attacks on law enforcement, Texas Governor Kristi Noem condemned inflammatory rhetoric targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the wake of the deadly Dallas shooting. Writing on X, Noem stated that politicians and media outlets had been warned for months to tone down language about ICE before violence occurred.

Noem highlighted the consequences of repeatedly comparing ICE officers to the Nazi Gestapo, Secret Police, and slave patrols, calling such rhetoric “dangerous and dehumanizing.” She emphasized that ICE personnel are ordinary citizens—fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters—who work daily to protect communities and deserve to return safely to their families.

“The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop,” Noem wrote, urging a halt to rhetoric that could inspire further attacks.

‘Obsessive attacks must stop’: Vance

The attack drew swift condemnation from political leaders. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called it an assault on law enforcement, vowing to “combat the alarming increase of targeted attacks against ICE.” Vice President JD Vance posted that “the obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop.”

Senator Ted Cruz urged politicians to stop using rhetoric that demonizes ICE and Customs and Border Protection, warning it could inspire “mad men to commit evil crimes.” Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared that the shooting would not slow down immigration enforcement efforts, pledging stepped-up deportations.

Investigation ongoing

The FBI is leading the investigation, treating the incident as “an act of targeted violence.” ICE Director Todd Lyons has placed all ICE facilities on heightened alert in the wake of the shooting.