On the early morning of September 24, 2025, a shocking act of violence unfolded at the Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center located on North Stemmons Freeway. A 29-year-old man named Joshua Jahn, with connections to North Texas and Oklahoma, opened fire from a nearby rooftop, targeting detainees in a van. This tragic event resulted in one detainee’s death and left two others in critical condition. Jahn, the alleged shooter, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as law enforcement closed in. As the investigation continues on September 25, 2025, authorities are piecing together Jahn’s background, searching for clues about his motives in what has been described as a targeted attack on ICE personnel and operations. This incident has not only devastated the victims’ families but also raised broader concerns about safety at federal facilities and the potential for ideologically driven violence.
The Shooting Incident
The attack began around 6:30 a.m. when Jahn, positioned on a rooftop with a rifle, fired indiscriminately at a group of ICE detainees being transported in a van at the facility’s sally port—an area used for secure entry and exit. According to multiple law enforcement sources, including reports from FOX 4 and ABC News, one detainee was killed on the scene, while the two survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals in critical condition. Federal agents quickly responded, but Jahn ended his own life before they could apprehend him.
Dallas FBI Field Office Special Agent in Charge Joe Rothrock confirmed that the incident is being investigated as “active, targeted violence.” In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security emphasized that while no officers were harmed, the shooting represented “an attack on ICE law enforcement.” Adding to the chilling details, FBI Director Kash Patel revealed during a press update that shell casings recovered near Jahn’s body contained engraved messages that were “anti-ICE in nature.” Specifically, one casing bore the phrase “ANTI ICE,” as shown in a photo shared by Patel on his X account.
Further evidence pointed to a deliberate and hateful intent. Patel disclosed that Jahn allegedly left behind a handwritten note stating, “Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, ‘is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?'” This reference to armor-piercing (AP) bullets underscored the suspect’s apparent desire to instill fear in ICE agents. Authorities also noted that a sign on a car reportedly belonging to Jahn read, “Radioactive fallout from nuclear formations that’ve passed over these areas more than 2x since 1951,” which added an enigmatic layer to the investigation, though its direct connection to the motive remains unclear.
Who Was Joshua Jahn?
Joshua Jahn, born around 1996, was a 29-year-old man whose life appeared unremarkable on the surface, marked by interests in gaming, occasional marijuana use, and sporadic education and employment. He had strong ties to North Texas, with family residing in the Collin County city of Fairview, and more recently lived in Durant, Oklahoma. Public records and law enforcement statements paint a picture of someone who moved between states but maintained roots in the region.
In the hours following the shooting, investigators focused on homes linked to Jahn. SKY 4 footage captured FBI agents outside the Fairview residence, where frantic family members were visible, and agents were seen removing a box of possible evidence. Similarly, in Durant, law enforcement, including FBI and SWAT teams, surrounded a home associated with him, though details on recovered items have not been released. Durant Police Chief David Comeaux told FOX 4, “That’s what we are looking into,” when asked about Jahn’s connections there.
Jahn’s educational history was brief and intermittent. A spokesperson for Collin College in McKinney, Texas, confirmed to the Associated Press that he took classes at “various times” between 2013 and 2018. Additionally, a representative from the University of Texas at Dallas stated that a person matching Jahn’s name and date of birth had “briefly attended” the university “over a decade ago.” His work experience included a stint in late 2017 harvesting legal marijuana on a farm in Washington state, reflecting his documented interest in cannabis.
Jahn’s criminal record was minimal and non-violent. FOX 4 reports indicate no history of violent crimes, but he was arrested in 2015 for marijuana possession in Collin County, as shown in a 2016 booking photo from the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.
Friends from his childhood, speaking anonymously to ABC News due to fears of harassment, remembered Jahn as an apolitical individual deeply immersed in video games and online culture. One friend expressed disbelief, saying, “This is a complete shock to me. Josh was the least political out of all the people I knew in high school. He liked playing video games.” They hadn’t seen him in about 10 years but recalled his enthusiasm for gaming. The friends provided details on a Steam username linked to Jahn, where he had logged over 10,000 hours playing titles like Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and Rust. A connected Reddit account, inactive for roughly six years, featured posts about gaming and smoking marijuana, further highlighting his recreational interests rather than any extremist leanings.
Community Reaction
The revelation of Jahn’s involvement stunned his former neighbors in Fairview. Sloane Mordecai, who lived nearby, only learned of the shooting when she encountered reporters and federal agents on her street. She told FOX 4, “That’s insane to hear,” and added, “Like I said, very sweet family, so that was really, really surprising to hear.” Another resident, Tim Johnson, was equally taken aback upon realizing the connection to a home down the street. He reflected, “You think just how crazy that is and how close it is to home now,” before concluding, “But it’s an unfortunate event.” These reactions underscore the disconnect between Jahn’s seemingly ordinary life and the violent act he allegedly committed, leaving the community in a state of shock and mourning.
Ongoing Investigation
As of September 25, 2025, the motive behind Jahn’s actions remains elusive, though evidence suggests a strong anti-ICE bias and meticulous preparation. FBI Director Patel indicated a “high degree of pre-attack planning,” noting that Jahn had downloaded a document titled “Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management” which contained a “list of DHS facilities.” In the days leading up to the shooting—specifically between September 23 and 24—Jahn allegedly “conducted multiple searches of ballistics and the ‘Charlie Kirk Shot Video'” and “searched apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents.” These digital footprints point to a calculated effort to target the ICE facility effectively.
While the anti-ICE engravings on shell casings and the threatening note provide clear indicators of ideology, federal investigators have not yet explained what may have radicalized Jahn or if other factors, such as mental health issues or personal grievances, played a role. Police have confirmed that Dallas police are collaborating with Fairview authorities, and the investigation spans multiple jurisdictions, including Oklahoma.
This event has prompted heightened security measures at ICE facilities nationwide and sparked discussions about preventing similar attacks. As the Dallas community processes the loss and trauma, law enforcement vows to uncover every detail about Jahn’s path to violence, ensuring that lessons are learned to protect against future threats. The full story of Joshua Jahn and the Dallas ICE shooting may yet reveal more surprises as the probe deepens.
