Introduction to the Incident
The people accused of plotting a July attack on a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detainment facility in Alvarado were members of an “anarchist cell” and held antifascist beliefs, federal prosecutors said Tuesday during an hours-long hearing. Eight of the accused, including alleged ringleader and gunman Benjamin Song, appeared in federal court in Fort Worth Tuesday as federal prosecutors laid out their evidence in the case.
The Attack on the Prairieland Detention Center
The defendants are alleged to have carried out an attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in the late hours of July 4, following a small peaceful protest that took place earlier the same day. Prosecutors say the group vandalized cars in the parking lot and set off fireworks to elicit a response from law enforcement, who they planned to ambush. An Alvarado police officer who responded to the scene was shot in the shoulder or neck area, prosecutors said. He survived.
Evidence Presented by Federal Prosecutors
Federal prosecutor Shawn Smith questioned Fort Worth-based FBI special agent Clark Wiethorn on the evidence gathered by law enforcement following the incident. The government alleged multiple members of the group were seen on security camera video footage vandalizing a camera at the detention center and vandalizing vehicles, and that the group communicated on Signal, a secure messaging application, to plan the attack. Federal prosecutors also said many of those arrested had loaded firearms, additional magazines, body armor, and advanced first aid kits meant for traumatic injuries in their vehicles, which prosecutors pointed to in establishing their intent to ambush police officers.
Defense Attorneys’ Arguments
Defense attorneys for those accused painted their clients as citizens concerned about the treatment of migrants detained by ICE at Prairieland, and said they had no idea the protest would escalate into a shooting. The defense attorneys, nine in total, largely argued their clients had body armor and first aid kits as a precaution should the protest escalate. Smith presented body camera footage from the Alvarado police officer who was shot, which appeared to show someone shouting “Get to the rifles” before the officer was shot. The government alleged Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, was the shooter and fired two separate barrages of bullets at the officer.
Details of the Shooting
According to the government, Song fired 11 times from an AR-15-style rifle, while the Alvarado officer returned fire three times from his service pistol. Prosecutors said the rifle Song is alleged to have used was equipped with a “binary trigger,” a device that allows a weapon to fire a round when the trigger is both pressed down and released, effectively doubling the fire rate. In addition to the body camera footage, photos of cars vandalized with the words “Ice Pig” spray-painted on them and tires slashed were shown.
The Group’s Planning and Organization
Prosecutors also said the group had a “commune” at a Dallas residence where they printed anarchist literature, organized and planned the attack, and stored weapons. According to the government, some messages recovered from the Signal group chat included messages like “I’m done with peaceful protesting,” “blue lives don’t matter,” and “normalize violent resistance.” The preliminary hearing and detention hearing, in which the government lays out the evidence in its case and argues for pre-trial detention, lasted over six hours.
Charges Against the Suspects
At least 14 are facing charges stemming from the shooting. Eleven of the suspects face charges of attempted murder of federal agents, discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, while one person faces charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to attempt to conceal and destroy evidence. Two face charges of accessory after the fact for allegedly helping Song evade police.
Conclusion
The incident highlights the growing concern about extremist groups and their potential for violence. The fact that the group was able to plan and execute an attack on a federal facility raises questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement’s ability to monitor and prevent such activities. The case is ongoing, and it will be important to follow the developments to see how the justice system handles the allegations.
FAQs
Q: What happened during the attack on the Prairieland Detention Center?
A: The defendants allegedly carried out an attack on the Prairieland Detention Center, vandalizing cars and setting off fireworks to elicit a response from law enforcement, and an Alvarado police officer was shot in the shoulder or neck area.
Q: What evidence did federal prosecutors present?
A: Federal prosecutors presented security camera video footage, messages from a Signal group chat, and body camera footage from the Alvarado police officer who was shot.
Q: What are the charges against the suspects?
A: At least 14 suspects are facing charges, including attempted murder of federal agents, discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to attempt to conceal and destroy evidence.
Q: What was the role of the alleged ringleader, Benjamin Song?
A: Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, is alleged to have been the shooter and fired two separate barrages of bullets at the Alvarado police officer.
Q: How did the group plan and organize the attack?
A: The group allegedly used a secure messaging application, Signal, to plan the attack and had a “commune” at a Dallas residence where they printed anarchist literature, organized, and stored weapons.
