Authorities have released of the name of the suspect accused of throwing Molotov cocktails into a federal building, adding that they believe he was “motivated by anti-immigration enforcement sentiment.”
The incident occurred on Monday, with the suspect identified as 54-year-old Jose Francisco Jovel. Authorities have released images showing the moment Jovel allegedly carried out his act.
Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said in a statement that the building he targeted “houses our U.S. Attorney’s Office, ICE, and is where illegal immigrants are processed.”
“Jovel was targeting our immigration enforcement operations and wanted to send a political message,” he said.
“Thankfully, the devices did not ignite and no one was injured. Jovel was immediately arrested. Federal officers seized Jovel’s belongings and discovered five other Molotov cocktails,” Essayli, said, adding that 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. This is an ongoing investigation and we’ll be looking at adding additional charges.”
Essayli said this case shows 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 attorney’s office also added that Jovel himself “described his actions as ‘a terrorist attack.’” He also touted the leftist line that immigration enforcement officers are “separating families.
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Further, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added that the suspect wanted to go even further by blowing up the building.
Per the press release:
The suspect was taken into custody and stated that he wanted to blow up the building and “spray down” all the officers while making more derogatory comments about ICE officers. Fortunately, the bottles were not lit and did not catch fire and there were no injuries or damage to federal property. He also had four knives and a Leatherman tool on him at the time of his arrest.
L.A. is no stranger to displays of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) behaviors, seeing wild anti-ICE riots over the summer as the Trump administration has continued to target criminal illegal aliens.
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