Several suspects are in custody after a police officer was injured in a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, late on July 4th, officials said.
Just before 11 p.m., the Alvarado Police Department responded to a report of a suspicious person in the 1200 block of Sunflower Lane, outside the ICE Prairieland Detention Facility. According to a news release, officers arrived to find a person who appeared to be carrying a firearm.
According to Alvarado police, when one of the first officers on the scene attempted to engage the individual, an unknown number of suspects opened fire. Police said at least one bullet struck an officer in the neck.
Alvarado police said the injured officer was flown from the scene to a Fort Worth hospital, treated, and then released.
According to Alvarado police, several armed suspects were apprehended after attempting to flee the scene.
The suspects’ names have not yet been released, and police are investigating their motives.
A federal law enforcement source told CBS News on Saturday that eight people had been arrested by local police. The official stated that some of those apprehended were wearing body armor.
According to CBS News, over a dozen masked individuals dressed in black arrived at the Prairieland ICE detention facility late Friday night and vandalized vehicles and security cameras in the parking lot.
According to the source, the individuals set off fireworks in an apparent attempt to attract law enforcement attention.
When contacted by CBS News, the FBI declined to comment on the investigation.
Justice Department closely monitoring incident
The Justice Department announced Saturday morning that it was “closely monitoring the attacks on DHS facilities.”
“We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR, and are coordinating with the USAOs and our law enforcement partners,” Justice Department Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated on social media. “The Department has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible.”
Blanche appeared to be referring to an incident in mid-June in which three people were arrested outside an ICE facility in Portland after a confrontation with law enforcement, according to CBS affiliate KOIN-TV.
Alvarado police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call 817-790-0919.
