Two people face terrorism charges — the first such charges directed toward anyone accused of being linked to antifa — in connection with a shooting targeting federal agents outside a Texas Detention Center on July 4.
A federal grand jury indicted Cameron Arnold of Dallas and Zachary Evetts of Waxahachie, Texas. Both face seven charges, including three counts of discharging a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a crime of violence; and three counts of attempted murder of officers and employees of the United States.
Arnold and Evetts are also accused of providing material support to terrorists.
The indictment, issued Wednesday and unsealed Thursday, charges Cameron Arnold and Zachary Evetts with providing material support for terrorism, attempting to murder federal and assisting officers and discharging firearms during attempted murders.
“For the first time ever, the FBI has arrested anarchist violent extremists and charged these Antifa-aligned individuals with material support to terrorism,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.
“This was a planned and coordinated terrorist attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, where armed extremists tried to murder U.S. officers on July 4th,” he continued.
“We are executing under President Trump’s new authorities at record speed. To date, the FBI has made over 20 arrests tied to this case and related Antifa networks. No one gets to harm law enforcement. Not on our watch,” Patel added.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also praised the charges, signaling more prosecutions against Antifa members. in the future.
Arnold and Evetts are alleged to have participated in the ambush of federal agents at the ICE detention facility along with nine others. Authorities say the suspects used fireworks as a distraction while vandalizing vehicles outside the facility.
When police began to respond, the indictment says, Arnold yelled, “Get to the rifles!”
“Seconds later, coconspirator-1 [Arnold] opened fire on the officers, striking the Alvarado officer in the neck area as the unarmed correctional officers ducked and ran for cover. The wounded officer fell to the ground but was able to return a few shots. Coconspirator-1 continued to fire additional rounds until his rifle jammed. The attackers then left the scene,” the indictment reads.
Read the full indictment below:
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Conviction on these federal charges ‘should’ carry significantly more severe penalties than if these characters had been charged with state crimes. That presumes that they somehow don’t manage to weasel out of the charges.
What it does do is set a VERY strong precedent that such crime will no longer be tolerated. Period.
EXCELLENT – BRILLIANT