NBC 5 Investigates is learning more about the suspected gunman who fired shots at an ICE facility in Dallas that left one detainee dead and two others in critical condition.
The shooter has been identified as Joshua Jahn, 29, from Fairview in Collin County.
Authorities say the shooter fired from the rooftop of a building across the street from an ICE enforcement operations building that’s located along Stemmons Freeway in Dallas.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation tells NBC 5 Investigates that the suspect used a bolt-action rifle before the gunman apparently took his own life.
Experts say hardening ICE facilities to protect against sniper-style attacks would be extremely difficult.
“In this case, with ICE officers coming and going and doing their jobs, they can’t be adequately protected from this. This will be a daily recurring risk to every man and woman that works for ICE,” said Retired FBI Agent Tom Petrowski.
ICE officials are calling for an end to what they describe as anti-law enforcement rhetoric that’s putting officers and detainees at risk.
“It’s just gotta stop – it’s dangerous and people are losing their lives,” said acting ICE Dallas Field Office Director Joshua Johnson.
ICE has released a photo, the agency says shows shell casings recovered at the scene with what they describe as anti-ICE messages written on them
FBI agents are also gathering evidence in Fairview this afternoon at a home that Collin County property records connect to the shooter’s family.
Retired FBI agents spoke with NBC 5, saying clues about why this happened will most likely be found in interviews with people who knew the gunman and in the suspect’s digital footprints.
“They’re going to grab phones, any electronic device, they’ll have teams in place making application for search warrants to get into them, search warrants access online everything about this guy’s social media and the rest with a view towards establishing motive, ideology, his path towards,” said Petrowski.
At the scene of the attack, investigators have also been examining a car that appears connected to the shooter.
On the side of the car, it has a somewhat cryptic message taped on the side with a map of the United States and wording that references fallout from nuclear explosions passing over parts of the country.
It’s unclear what that means or whether it’s connected somehow to this incident, but law enforcement experts tell NBC 5 it’s another piece of information that FBI behavioral analysts will likely look at as the investigation continues.
NBC News also spoke with the shooter’s brother.
He said he did not think his brother was interested in politics on either side.
He also said his brother knew how to use a rifle, but was quoted “not a marksman that’s for sure.”
Records show the suspect’s only prior arrest was on a marijuana charge about 9 years ago in Collin County, where he pleaded guilty as part of a deferred adjudication agreement with prosecutors, under which the conviction is removed after completing probation.
The University of Texas at Dallas confirms its records indicate a person with the shooter’s name and date of birth briefly attended UT Dallas over a decade ago.