Political violence is becoming commonplace. And it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
And now an unhinged lunatic committed a terrorist attack on Homeland Security.
Incident Details and Sequence of Events
Late Wednesday night, around 11:10 p.m., an unidentified suspect stole an unoccupied Canyon County Paramedics ambulance from St. Luke’s Medical Center in Meridian.
The individual then retrieved gas cans that had been prepositioned in nearby vegetation, drove the vehicle into the parking lot of the St. Luke’s Portico North office building (which houses leased DHS offices, including space associated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and rammed the ambulance into the structure at approximately 25 mph.
After the crash, the suspect poured accelerant inside and around the vehicle in an effort to ignite it.
First responders arrived quickly and interrupted the attempt, causing the suspect to flee on foot before any fire could start. No injuries were reported, and the building sustained damage from the impact, though specifics on the extent were not detailed.
Official Response and Statements
Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea held a press conference on Thursday, describing the act as deliberate and dangerous.
He stated: “We want to emphasize that this was a serious criminal act. The theft and destruction of an emergency vehicle not only created risk to responding personnel, but it also temporarily removed a critical medical resource from the community.”
He further emphasized: “There has been a lot of rhetoric surrounding the Department of Homeland Security leasing office space at this location, and comments on social media such as, ‘property damage isn’t violence,’ is absolutely false.”
Adding: “This was absolutely an act of violence, and if the suspect had not been interrupted, there is no doubt this building would have been burned, putting the lives of first responders and others at risk.”
A DHS spokeswoman provided broader context on rising threats to federal officers, noting:
“Thanks to rhetoric by sanctuary politicians and encouragement of illegal aliens to evade arrest, our officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats against them. Secretary Noem has been clear: anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Current Status and Investigation
The suspect remains at large, with state and federal authorities, including the FBI, actively involved in the search and investigation.
No suspect description, name, age, or motive has been publicly released beyond the apparent targeting of the DHS-leased space amid surrounding public debate and online rhetoric.
Officials continue to urge the public to provide any information that could assist in apprehending the individual responsible for this targeted criminal act.
