Law enforcement authorities identified the shooting suspect behind the Wednesday tragedy at a Dallas ICE facility as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn. The alleged gunman, initially referred to as a “sniper,” shot three migrant detainees in a van, killing one. The other two victims were in critical condition after the shooting.
According to the Department of Homeland Security officials’ statement, the man “fired indiscriminately at the ICE building, including at a van in the sallyport where the victims were shot.” Jahn himself was eventually found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Close to his body, officials discovered at least five shell casings at the shooting scene in Dallas.
One of these had “ANTI-ICE” scrawled on it in blue ink, as per a picture of the casings FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X. As a result, many, including Vice President JD Vance, are calling Wednesday’s shooting “political motivated.” The American VP also described the suspect as a “violent left-wing extremist.”
Was Joshua Jahn anti-ICE?
Despite the bullets found near his body at the facility, the shooting suspect’s older brother, Noah Jahn, was stunned at the revelation. “He didn’t have strong feelings about ICE as far as I knew,” he told NBC News.
He also questioned the possibility of his brother being involved in a politically motivated shooting. “I didn’t think he was politically interested,” Jahn added. “He wasn’t interested in politics on either side as far as I knew.”
Noah further divulged Joshua was “not a marksman,” as he wouldn’t be able to make shots like that. Still he maintained that his younger sibling knew how to use a rifle his parents owned.
Contrary to Noah’s claims about Joshua, a man who is said to have known the suspect since his early teens as a fellow Boy Scout pushed that Jahn had strong opinions about politics.
“He was just upset about how people were not understanding people’s desperation to get out of bad situations and how immigration was being handled as a whole,” he said of an interaction that happened years ago, as they discussed migrant caravans coming into the US, per NBC News’ report. And yet, the troop member claimed that he shocked to find out Joshua had been identified as the shooter, especially since was “pretty against” gun violence.
What more do we know about suspected Dallas ICE facility shooter Joshua Jahn?
According to Jahn’s older brother, they grew up in Allen, Texas, and were former Boy Scouts. At one point, Joshua is believed to have been into coding work, but remained unemployed and had plans to move into their parents’ Oklahoma property. As per the New York Post, a former employee revealed the suspect worked at Solartime USA in Richardson, Texas, about a decade ago for a brief period.
Joshua Jahn was registered as an independent in Oklahoma, according to public records. He last came out to vote in November 2024.
His mother, Sharon, previously shared a bunch of anti-gun online tirades on Facebook, as per the New York Post’s report. At the time, she is also said to have taken a dig at Texas Republicans lawmakers supporting the Second Amendment.
“Governor Abbott, Senator Cornyn and Senator Cruz how does it make you feel that your action to open up gun laws is responsible for the killing of 21 more people?,” she wrote in a May 25, 2022, post, seemingly talking about the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. “Do you secretly sit in front of a TV and smile a demented smile? You must be proud of all the money that sits in your bank accounts from the gun lobby support. Was it worth it, Governor Abbott? How about you senators?”
Dallas ICE facility shooter had a criminal record
Back in 2016, Jahn was charged in Texas with delivering marijuana in an amount greater than ¼-ounce but less than 5 pounds. He ultimately pleaded guilty. Additionally, CBS News cited court records stating that Jahn was arrested in 2015 by the Collin County Sheriff’s Office over a marijuana charge.
After he pleaded guilty the following year, he was order to pay a $500 fine, and was put on probation for five years. Owing to his regular reporting and compliance, officials eventually suggested his early release. A judge then signed off on it on April 4, 2017.
The shooter’s motives are still under the scanner.
More information will be added. This is an ongoing investigation.