FBI Investigating Attack on ICE Facility in San Antonio
Federal authorities say there's no question that shots fired at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in San Antonio Tuesday were part of a targeted attack.
KSAT-TV reports that shots were fired at a building housing ICE offices and a bank around 3 AM Tuesday. The shots appear to have been fired from across a nearby highway.
ICE staff were inside the building at the time, and FBI agent Christopher Combs says bullets that entered the facility missed personnel by mere inches.
A person of interest was questioned at the scene, but was later released when it was determined he was not involved. According to FOX News, Combs said it appeared as if the gunman or gunmen "did some research", and knew which parts of the building to target.
ICE Field Office Director Daniel Bible said there is no justification for the attack, and blames political rhetoric and media.
Speaking to KABB-TV, Bible said:
Political rhetoric and misinformation that various politicians, media outlets and activist groups recklessly disseminate to the American people regarding the ICE mission only serve to further encourage these violent acts. ICE officers put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our communities safe. This disturbing public discourse shrouds our critical law enforcement function and unnecessarily puts our officers’ safety at risk.
At a press conference, Combs said firing into a building is not an act of protest, but simply an act of violence. Combs fears there could be more attacks, and said political discourse must not be allowed to lead to incidents in which innocent people might be hurt or killed.