Multiple suspects in custody after officer shot outside Texas ICE facility on July 4th

A police officer was shot and several suspects taken into custody following a late-night attack outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4th.

According to the Alvarado Police Department, officers responded around 10:50 pm to a report of a suspicious person near the 1200 block of Sunflower Lane.

Upon arrival, officers encountered an individual who appeared to be armed. As one of the officers attempted to engage, an unknown number of suspects opened fire.

Police confirmed that one officer was struck in the neck. He was airlifted to a hospital in Fort Worth, treated, and later released, reports CBS.

Authorities stated that several armed individuals attempted to flee but were taken into custody. While names have not yet been released, a federal law enforcement source told CBS News that eight people were arrested and that some were wearing body armor.

The same source indicated that more than a dozen masked individuals dressed in black arrived at the facility late Friday night, vandalized security cameras and vehicles, and launched fireworks in what is believed to have been a distraction tactic to draw law enforcement into the area.

The FBI declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. Alvarado police say the motive remains under investigation.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Department of Justice is actively monitoring the situation.

"We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR, and are coordinating with the USAOs and our law enforcement partners," Blanche said in a statement posted to social media.

"The Department has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible."

Blanche appeared to reference another incident from June, in which three individuals were arrested following a confrontation with law enforcement outside an ICE facility in Portland, Oregon, according to CBS affiliate KOIN-TV.