Benjamin Hanil Song, a 32-year-old Korean American and former Marine Corps reservist, has been arrested by FBI agents in Dallas, nearly a week after a shooting outside the ICE Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4.
Song, who was listed among the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, faces three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Authorities had previously labeled him armed and dangerous and offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Prosecutors allege that Song purchased four firearms used in the attack and helped coordinate the ambush through Signal, an encrypted messaging app. Law enforcement also recovered a shared image of the detention center marked with the locations of six nearby police departments.
Two individuals—John Thomas and Lynette Sharp—were newly charged with accessory after the fact, accused of helping Song flee the scene. They join a total of 14 people now facing federal charges related to the shooting. Another individual, Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada, was earlier charged with obstruction of justice for attempting to conceal evidence after the incident.
“The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence toward law enforcement,” said R. Joseph Rothrock, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas field office. “This arrest reflects the determination of our agents and partners to bring every perpetrator to justice.”
If convicted, Song and others charged with attempted murder face 10 years to life in federal prison. Those charged with obstruction or accessory offenses face up to 10 and 14 years, respectively.
