Man Arrested For Carrying Out ‘Terrorist Attack’ In California Targeting ICE: FBI
A 54-year-old California man has been arrested for what federal investigators say was a self-declared “terrorist attack” on a federal building in Los Angeles that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices. The Justice Department announced Tuesday that Jose Francisco Jovel, of Koreatown, is facing federal charges after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at security officers and entrances to the facility.
According to investigators, Jovel told officers he carried out the attack because he was angry about President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the case highlights how anti-law-enforcement rhetoric can escalate into real-world violence.
“This case exemplifies how misleading and hateful rhetoric against federal law enforcement can and does result in violence,” Essayli said. “Irresponsible rhetoric by politicians and activists have real-world consequences. It must stop.”
Jovel has been charged with attempted malicious destruction of federal property. Prosecutors say additional charges may follow. He is expected to make his first court appearance Wednesday.
Attack Followed Fire at Suspect’s Apartment
Authorities say Jovel lit his apartment on fire after being evicted on Monday, then rode his bicycle to the federal building in downtown Los Angeles. Surveillance video reportedly shows him throwing a Molotov cocktail through a sliding employee entrance before throwing another toward a public entrance. Neither device fully ignited, though footage shows him trying to light one.
When federal officers arrested him, they found five more Molotov cocktails, a lighter, and knives. Officers also reported hearing him make anti-ICE comments, urge bystanders to “start shooting these” officers, and refer to his actions as “a terrorist attack.”
The lobby of the building was temporarily shut down as investigators secured the scene.
If convicted, Jovel faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and up to 20 years.
FBI: ‘Zero Tolerance’ for Attacks on Law Enforcement
“There can be zero tolerance for any targeting of law enforcement officials – let alone violent acts – and we’re lucky that the devices allegedly thrown by the subject did not physically injure anyone,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is handling the investigation.
Long Criminal History
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Jovel has a lengthy criminal record, including arrests for attempted murder in 1987, robbery with a firearm in 1991, and molesting a minor in 2007.
The attack comes amid a surge in violent threats and assaults targeting ICE officers as they work to carry out the Trump administration’s criminal and immigration enforcement directives.