Two alleged antifa members have been indicted on terrorism-related charges for their alleged roles in a violent July 4 ambush at a federal immigration detention center in North Texas, marking what officials say is the first time such charges have ever been brought against antifa-linked suspects.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Texas returned the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday, charging Cameron Arnold and Zachary Evetts with providing material support for terrorism, attempting to murder federal and assisting officers, and discharging firearms during attempted murders.
According to court filings, the pair were part of a group of 17 individuals who attacked law enforcement outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, armed with over 50 firearms. Additional guns were found days later at the home of Benjamin Hanil Song, who is facing three counts of attempted murder and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
Investigators say the group created a diversion with fireworks and graffiti before opening fire on responding officers with semiautomatic rifles.
Moments later, Arnold allegedly opened fire on the officers, striking the Alvarado officer in the neck as the unarmed correctional officers ran for cover, according to the indictment, which stated that Arnold continued to fire additional rounds until his rifle jammed. The officer who was struck was treated and later released.
Arnold, Evetts, and others, charged with involvement in the attack, allegedly used an encrypted messaging app to coordinate their moves. At one point, a member of the group wrote “I’m done with peaceful protests” and “Blue lives don’t matter” as part of those texts.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the charges Thursday, calling the case a milestone in the bureau’s counterterrorism efforts.
“First time ever: the FBI arrested antifa-aligned anarchist violent extremists and terrorism charges have been brought for the July 4 Prairieland ICE attack in Texas,” Patel posted to X. “Under President Trump’s new authorities we’ve made over 20 arrests. No one gets to harm law enforcement. Not on my watch.”
The indictments follow President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed earlier this summer, which formally designated antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
TEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER IN ‘PLANNED AMBUSH’ OF ICE OFFICERS AT ALVARADO FACILITY
The 10 suspects who are facing charges in relation to the Prairieland attack include Arnold, Evetts, Marciela Rueda, Savanna Batten, Joy Gibson, Meagan Morris, Nathan Baumann, Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, and Seth Sikes. All 10 were previously charged with attempted murder, and a federal judge in Fort Worth previously ruled that Arnold and Evetts, along with six others tied to the case, must remain behind bars pending their criminal trials.
If convicted, Arnold and Evetts face possible life sentences on counts of terrorism and attempted murder.