Dallas ICE Facility Shooter Feared Radiation Exposure and Trained for Deadly Attack, Records Show

Dallas, Texas (October 14, 2025) — Newly released records have revealed that Joshua Jahn, the 29-year-old man who opened fire at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas last month, was consumed by paranoid fears of radiation exposure and had spent weeks practicing for what would become one of Texas’s most shocking acts of violence this year.

The attack, which occurred on September 24, left two detainees dead and several others injured before Jahn turned the weapon on himself. Federal investigators are now piecing together the mental unraveling that preceded his rampage — one fueled by delusion, isolation, and a growing distrust of government institutions.

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A Mind in Decline

According to investigative files reviewed by reporters, Jahn’s paranoia had deepened in the months leading up to the shooting. He reportedly told friends and family that “the government was poisoning him with radiation” and that he needed to “defend himself before it was too late.”

Court documents indicate Jahn purchased multiple firearms earlier this year and frequently visited shooting ranges across northern Texas. Surveillance footage from one Dallas gun range shows him practicing tactical drills and rehearsing rapid reloads — behavior that experts say reflected clear premeditation.

A former coworker described him as a “quiet guy who suddenly changed,” noting that he stopped socializing and began speaking obsessively about “invisible threats.”

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The Day of the Shooting

On the morning of the attack, Jahn drove a dark-colored pickup truck to the ICE detention facility in southeast Dallas. Witnesses say he parked near the staff entrance, exited the vehicle carrying a semi-automatic rifle, and began firing toward the main security gate.

Panic erupted as alarms blared through the compound. Officers inside rushed to lock down the building while employees and detainees scrambled for cover.

Dallas police arrived within minutes and exchanged gunfire with the suspect. Authorities later confirmed that Jahn died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.

Two detainees, both men in their thirties awaiting immigration hearings, were pronounced dead at Parkland Hospital. Their names have not been released pending notification of families.

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FBI and ICE Investigations

The FBI’s Dallas Field Office has taken the lead in investigating the incident, working alongside the Texas Department of Public Safety and ICE internal security units. Investigators are focusing on Jahn’s online activity and digital communications, which reportedly contain posts about “radiation mind control” and “government surveillance.”

“Everything we’ve seen so far points to an individual acting alone,” said FBI spokesperson Maria Velasquez during a Tuesday press briefing. “However, the sophistication of his planning — and the fact that he targeted a federal facility — means we’re taking nothing for granted.”

Law enforcement officials have also confirmed that Jahn’s home contained a makeshift radiation detector and notebooks filled with diagrams of the ICE building.

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Community Reaction

The attack has reignited debates about mental health and access to firearms in Texas, a state that continues to grapple with repeated episodes of mass violence.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson called the shooting “a tragedy that exposes our urgent need for better systems of early intervention.”

Immigrant rights advocates, meanwhile, have urged the government to increase security at ICE facilities while also improving the conditions that detainees face. “These are human lives,” said Elena Marquez, director of the North Texas Immigration Coalition. “They were in custody, and they still weren’t safe.”

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A Pattern of Fear and Isolation

Experts on domestic extremism say Jahn’s delusions mirror a growing trend of self-radicalization through online conspiracy communities.

“Many of these individuals live in digital echo chambers that amplify their paranoia,” explained Dr. Robert Kinsey, a criminologist at the University of North Texas. “They begin to believe they’re being persecuted, and violence becomes a form of self-defense in their minds.”

Kinsey noted that the Dallas case reflects the dangerous intersection of mental illness, misinformation, and easy access to weapons — a “perfect storm” that continues to produce tragedy nationwide.

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Looking Ahead

As investigators continue to analyze Jahn’s motives, families of the victims are left searching for answers — and accountability. A memorial of flowers and candles now lines the fence outside the ICE facility, where community members gather nightly to mourn the victims.

ICE officials have pledged to review internal protocols and enhance perimeter security across their facilities. The agency issued a statement expressing condolences and emphasizing that “acts of violence against federal employees or detainees will never be tolerated.”

For now, Dallas mourns again — another name added to the list of senseless attacks that have tested the resilience of Texas communities.

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Sources:

• WBNG News (Dallas Bureau) — “Dallas ICE facility shooter feared radiation
• Dallas Morning News — coverage on local law enforcement