Federal authorities are investigating a suspected arson attack on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) warehouse in Surprise, Arizona, after a suspect allegedly smashed a window, ignited a fire and hurled a propane tank into the building early Saturday.
FBI Phoenix said that at about 1:30 a.m. local time, the Surprise Police Department responded to a report of criminal damage to the newly purchased ICE building.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Fox News Digital the suspect “broke a window, ignited a fire, threw a propane tank into the building, and fled.”
The fire was quickly extinguished by the interior sprinkler system, the spokesperson said.
STOLEN AMBULANCE ALLEGEDLY DRIVEN INTO IDAHO DHS OFFICE BUILDING IN ATTEMPTED ARSON ATTACK
The FBI confirmed authorities found a broken window at the warehouse and evidence of “minor and limited fire activity.”
No suspect information or arrests have been announced as of Saturday afternoon.
The incident came days after state and federal authorities launched an investigation into an attempted arson attack at a DHS office building in Meridian, Idaho.
The suspect allegedly stole an ambulance from a bay at St. Luke’s West hospital on Wednesday, drove the ambulance through the parking lot, and retrieved gas cans that were staged in nearby vegetation, according to Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea.
The suspect, who has not been identified, then drove the ambulance directly into the North Portico building, which houses DHS offices, Basterrechea said.
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Investigators believe the suspect poured an accelerant inside and around the outside of the ambulance.
However, the suspect was unable to ignite the accelerant before being scared off by responding agencies, according to Basterrechea.
Officials said the location was known to the community.
“There has been a lot of rhetoric surrounding the Department of Homeland Security leasing office space at this location,” Basterrechea said. “Comments on social media, such as ‘property damage isn’t violence,’ is absolutely false. This was absolutely an act of violence, and if the suspect had not been interrupted, there is no doubt this building would have been burned, putting the lives of first responders and others at risk.”
The Meridian Police Department is leading the investigation into Wednesday’s attack in Idaho in coordination with the FBI, ATF, DHS, Idaho State Police and other regional law enforcement partners.
The FBI is investigating Saturday’s incident in Arizona with assistance from the ATF.
ICE and ATF did not immediately respond to additional inquiries from Fox News Digital.
