A Texas police officer was shot in the neck late Friday night in what law enforcement sources are calling a planned ambush attack outside the ICE Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, just south of Dallas-Fort Worth.
According to a press release from the Alvarado Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 10:56 p.m. to Sunflower Lane, the road leading to the federal detention facility.
When officers arrived, they saw an individual who appeared to be armed. As the first officer attempted to engage the suspect, multiple masked individuals opened fire, striking the officer in the neck.
The officer was airlifted to a Fort Worth hospital, treated, and later released, according to police.
“Every shift carries risk. This job is never routine,” the Texas Municipal Police Association said in a statement, calling the attack an apparent protest-related ambush.
Masked Attackers Dressed in Black — Armed and Wearing Body Armor
A federal law enforcement source told CBS News that eight individuals were arrested, some of whom were wearing body armor.
The source added that a group of more than a dozen masked suspects dressed in black:
This tactic mirrors other recent Antifa-style attacks, including simultaneous assaults on the ICE facility in Portland, Oregon, also occurring over the holiday weekend.
Deputy AG: “Zero Tolerance for Assaults on Federal Officers”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a strong response on Saturday:
“We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR… The Department has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible.”
The incident follows days of escalating Antifa-led unrest at ICE facilities across the country, after President Donald Trump signed the “Big Beautiful Bill”, which included billions in funding for ICE and border security.
Local, State, and Federal Agencies Respond
Officers from the Alvarado Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Rangers, and federal agencies responded rapidly and were able to apprehend multiple armed suspects.
“The motives of the suspects are unclear at this time,” the police department said — though the timing and tactics strongly resemble domestic terror activity tied to far-left extremist cells.
The Texas Rangers and Alvarado Police are continuing the investigation and have asked anyone with additional information to contact their criminal investigations division at (817) 790-0910.
