A man who was armed with a rifle and throwing Molotov cocktails at the ICE Tacoma Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash., was killed by responding police officers, according to the authorities.
At around 4 a.m. on Saturday, the Washington state man, who has not yet been publicly identified, threw “incendiary devices” at the ICE detention center and nearby cars, setting one on fire.
“The male attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set out buildings on fire,” a statement released by the Tacoma police department said. “The male continued throwing lit objects at the buildings and cars.”
The man also had a satchel and flares.
Four officers arrived at the scene and were involved in the shooting. Police initially called out to the man and then shots were fired. It remains unclear who began firing first.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed that no employees were hurt at the shooting, according to The Daily Beast.
GEO Group, a Florida-based company that owns and operates the ICE Northwest Detention Center, issued a statement blaming the “factually inaccurate portrayal” of its centers for causing “misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees.”
A police spokesperson stated that there was a planned “peaceful rally” this afternoon outside the ICE facility that houses over 1,500 detainees and generally holds detainees pending deportation proceedings.
The Daily Beast claimed that the protests against the ICE Northwest Detention Center would be hosted in a different location, but as of now, it appears that protests are occurring outside of police blockades near the detention center.
DEVELOPING: 1 man killed by a Tacoma police officer after throwing malotov-cocktail-type incendiaries at the Northwest Detention Center. Rallies continue outside police blockades against the ICE raids planned nationwide Sunday. #komonews pic.twitter.com/rHodzBysHq
— Patrick Quinn (@PatrickQuinnTV) July 13, 2019
An investigation is ongoing as the identity of the suspect and the motive have yet to be confirmed officially.
Violence against ICE detention centers continues to escalate as ICE is planning a massive crackdown on Sunday and as Democrats have used extremely harsh rhetoric to criticize ICE centers.
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