DALLAS (AP) — On Wednesday, five individuals pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges, accused of supporting antifa in a July shooting that injured a police officer outside a Texas immigration detention center. The charges were filed following President Trump’s executive order that identified the decentralized group known as antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, holding them responsible for political violence. FBI Director Kash Patel noted that this case represents the first instance of a material support to terrorism charge targeting antifa specifically.
The shooting took place near the Prairieland Detention Center, where federal prosecutors allege an antifa cell attacked with gunfire and fireworks directed at the facility.
All five defendants—Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Seth Sikes, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas—entered guilty pleas in a federal court in Fort Worth and face a potential sentence of up to 15 years. Sharp's attorney, Erin Kelley, remarked that this plea represents the first step in a lengthy legal process before the sentencing.
Ongoing investigations are examining other suspects charged in connection with the shooting incident. Records indicate that prior to the shooting, a group member commanded, “get to the rifles” before opening fire on responding officers. In the fray, an officer from the Alvarado Police Department was struck, falling to the ground but managing to return fire. Prosecutors assert that subsequent bullets were aimed at both the injured officer and a nearby unarmed Department of Homeland Security officer.
The context surrounding this violent encounter aligns with a broader escalation in deportation actions under the Trump administration, and just days after the initial shooting, another aggressive incident occurred where an individual fired rounds at federal personnel and facilities near the border, leading to their death by law enforcement.
The shooting took place near the Prairieland Detention Center, where federal prosecutors allege an antifa cell attacked with gunfire and fireworks directed at the facility.
All five defendants—Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Seth Sikes, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas—entered guilty pleas in a federal court in Fort Worth and face a potential sentence of up to 15 years. Sharp's attorney, Erin Kelley, remarked that this plea represents the first step in a lengthy legal process before the sentencing.
Ongoing investigations are examining other suspects charged in connection with the shooting incident. Records indicate that prior to the shooting, a group member commanded, “get to the rifles” before opening fire on responding officers. In the fray, an officer from the Alvarado Police Department was struck, falling to the ground but managing to return fire. Prosecutors assert that subsequent bullets were aimed at both the injured officer and a nearby unarmed Department of Homeland Security officer.
The context surrounding this violent encounter aligns with a broader escalation in deportation actions under the Trump administration, and just days after the initial shooting, another aggressive incident occurred where an individual fired rounds at federal personnel and facilities near the border, leading to their death by law enforcement.
