10 Antifa extremists charged in July 4th ambush shooting of ICE officers at Texas detention center

The incident occurred on July 4, which included black clad militants described as wearing military-style clothing allegedly opening fire on police, launching fireworks at the ICE facility, and defacing property with phrases such as "ICE Pig" and "F-ck you pig," according to a criminal complaint.

The ten defendants, all of whom reside in Texas, were arraigned on Monday in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas and have each been charged with three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

The alleged attackers have been identified as Cameron Arnold, aka Autumn Hill, of Dallas; Savanna Batten, of Fort Worth; Nathan Baumann, of College Station; Zachary Evetts, of Waxahachie; Joy Gibson, of Dallas; Bradford Morris, aka Meagan Morris, of Dallas; Maricela Rueda, of Fort Worth; Seth Sikes, of Kennedale; Elizabeth Soto, of Fort Worth; and Ines Soto, of Fort Worth.

On July 4 at 10:37 p.m., a group of individuals wearing all black began launching fireworks toward the Prairieland Detention Center. Two individuals broke off from the main group roughly ten minutes later, vandalizing vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot at the facility, according to the complaint.

Photo courtesy: Department of Justice

Photo courtesy: Department of Justice

Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit

Correctional officers called 911 around 10:56 pm to report the incident to local police, and a couple of minutes later, two unarmed corrections officers performing official duties for the Department of Homeland Security at the ICE detention center walked out to the fence line separating the facility from the parking lot and the woods and approached the subjects, according to the complaint.

A subject wearing a green mask could be observed standing just outside the woods and appeared to be signaling to the militants with a flashlight. At this same time, an Alvarado police officer arrived in the detention facility parking lot to investigate the 911 call. Immediately upon exiting his vehicle, an assailant stationed in the woods allegedly opened fire on the APD officer, striking him in the neck area, according to the affidavit.

The "green masked" assailant then allegedly opened fire on the DHS corrections officers. The subjects shot approximately 20 to 30 rounds of ammunition at the targeted officers, using AR-15-style rifles, according to the complaint. Authorities recovered spent 5.56 caliber casings at the locations of both of the shooters, two abandoned AR-15s, two body armor plate carriers loaded with AR-15 magazines, and a pistol magazine.

Photo courtesy: Department of Justice

Johnson County sheriff's deputies were informed that a red 2007 Hyundai van was observed fleeing the scene and initiated a traffic stop after locating the vehicle roughly one mile away. The vehicle was being driven by defendant Bradford Morris, who was the sole occupant inside. Authorities observed an AR-15 in the backseat, as well as two Kevlar ballistic-style vests and a ballistic helmet. Morris was removed from the vehicle and taken into custody. Furthermore, JCSO officers reported that Morris had a loaded magazine in his pocket that matched the pistol and a hand-held radio device. Another AR-15-style rifle was located in the back of his van, according to the complaint.

During an interview with deputies, Morris allegedly admitted that he had been at the Prairieland Detention Center "to make some noise" and claimed ownership of the firearms. Morris also allegedly told authorities that he transported some of the assailants to the facility after meeting them online.

At approximately 11:10 pm, JCSO deputies made contact with seven additional Antifa militants who were spotted on foot at an intersection roughly 300 yards from where the APD officer was shot in the neck. The subjects, described as wearing black military-style clothing, had body armour, were covered in mud, and some of them were in possession of firearms and radios, according to the complaint. Deputies subsequently apprehended defendants Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, Baumann Rueda, Seth Sikes, Joy Gibson, and Savanna Batten.

Additional firearms, magazines containing ammunition, and a total of 12 sets of body armour were recovered during vehicle searches, a search of the subjects, and the surrounding area of the ICE facility.

Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit

Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit

Baumann was in possession of a backpack that contained a can of spray paint and flyers that stated "Fight ICE terror with class war" and "Free all political prisoners." Police also found an identification card and an iPhone belonging to Baumann in the area where he was arrested, according to the affidavit.

Gibson had two cell phones in his backpack that were placed inside a Faraday bag, which is used to block cell phone signals. Defendant Sikes had a handgun in his waistband, a broken-down AR-15 in the backpack he had been wearing. Authorities determined that Sikes had purchased the firearm approximately ten days before the ambush attack. Additionally, Sikes allegedly admitted that the firearms were his, telling police during an interview that they were for his own protection.

Defendant Evetts was arrested on July 5 at approximately 2 am after authorities determined he was the registered owner of a red 2016 Mazda CX5 that was observed fleeing the ICE detention facility following the attack. He was located walking along a nearby highway wearing black military-style clothing, including a balaclava, tactical gloves, and safety goggles.

On July 6 at 10:55 am, defendant Rueda placed a phone call to Daniel Rolando Sanchez, who is charged in a separate complaint, and informed him that her car was parked on the same block as Morris' residence in Dallas and stated that a phone was located in the back. She told Sanchez that he needed to tow her vehicle and expressed concerns that a search warrant would be executed at her house. The following day, the FBI conducted a surveillance operation at Sanchez's residence in Garland, Texas, and executed a search warrant. Authorities found anarchist extremist anti-government propaganda inside Sanchez's residence.