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A man with a lengthy criminal record was arrested Monday after allegedly throwing multiple Molotov cocktails at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Los Angeles. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the 54-year-old suspect arrived at the Los Angeles Federal Building with several incendiary devices.
A contract Protective Security Officer reported hearing the man shouting anti-ICE remarks at officers on the sidewalk shortly before the attack occurred.
Suddenly, the man allegedly lobbed a pair of Molotov cocktails at the officers who were guarding the building, reports said.
DHS said the suspect was taken into custody and told authorities he intended to blow up the building and “spray down” all of the officers inside, while continuing to make derogatory statements about ICE personnel.
DHS said the Molotov cocktails failed to ignite because the bottles were not properly lit. No injuries were reported among federal employees or security personnel, according to the press release.
“This was a clear and deliberate attack on federal law enforcement, and it is emblematic of the constant attacks these brave men and women endure day in and day out as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, and gang members,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
“Our officers are facing mass assaults, vehicles used as weapons against them, and even targeted shootings. These attacks are the consequences of hateful and un-American rhetoric by sanctuary politicians, activists, and the media who smear our officers with misinformation and false narratives. Secretary Noem has been clear: anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she added.
Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, identified the suspect as Jose Francisco Jovel and released additional details about the incident.
Authorities recovered five more incendiary devices after Jovel was taken into custody.
“Jovel is charged with attempted malicious damage of federal property, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and up to 20 years’ imprisonment,” Essayli posted on X.
“This case exemplifies how misleading and hateful rhetoric against federal law enforcement can and does result in violence. Irresponsible rhetoric by politicians and activists have real-world consequences. It must stop,” he added.
The most recent incident occurred just days after two National Guard soldiers were shot in a targeted attack while on patrol in downtown Washington, D.C.; one of them was killed. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died from her wounds, while the second Guard member, 24-year-old U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, remains in serious condition but is showing “positive” signs of recovery.
Overall, there has been a staggering 1,150 percent increase in attacks on federal agents and employees since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.
The House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to examine the rise in violence against law enforcement nationwide.
The hearing also follows other recent incidents, including a deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in the Dallas area earlier this year that left at least one person dead.
According to an FBI report, assaults on law enforcement officers reached a 10-year high in 2023, with more than 79,000 attacks reported nationwide. Nevertheless, Democrats have regularly criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to bring crime under control using Guard troops and federal officers.
With that said, Trump administration officials are becoming increasingly aggressive when it comes to curbing both legal and illegal immigration to the United States following the deadly attack on Guard troops late last month by an Afghan national let into the country under President Joe Biden.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has stated that she will recommend a travel ban on several countries that she claims are contributing significantly to criminal activity in the U.S.
