Federal agents arrested a Georgia man Friday on charges that he threw a Molotov cocktail at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in downtown Atlanta.
Inique Hinton, 31, of Douglasville, Ga., is charged with attempted arson of a federal building and depredation of government property, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said. A federal magistrate judge signed the criminal complaint Friday. Agents arrested Hinton hours later at a home in Cobb County. The Washington Times also reported the arrest.
What prosecutors say happened
- The attack: Security cameras recorded a man walking near the ICE building at 180 Ted Turner Drive at about 8:12 p.m. on Oct. 20, prosecutors said. Minutes later, he lit an object and threw it toward the building.
- The damage: The device hit the outer fence, and flames spread from there. It did not reach the building, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
- The evidence: Investigators recovered burned cloth, lighter fluid, a glass bottle and a lighter at the scene, prosecutors said.
- The chase: An Atlanta police officer nearby saw the throw and chased the man on foot, but he got away, DHS said.
What officials said
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg called the attack “a despicable, terroristic crime that warrants an immediate and severe response.” Marlo Graham, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta, said people who attack government buildings “with fire and violence will be held accountable.”
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the attack was part of a rise in violence against ICE officers. His department says assaults on those officers are up more than 1,600%.
What happens next
The FBI is leading the case with help from Atlanta police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dashene Cooper is prosecuting. Prosecutors said the case is part of a federal effort against political violence run by Joint Task Force Vanguard.
A criminal complaint contains only charges. Hinton is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
iSEARK.com has covered other attacks on immigration officers, including an assault on officers in Salem, Ore. Closer to home, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office in Rison has trained deputies to work with ICE.
Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; The Washington Times.
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