Records Reveal Troubled Path of Dallas ICE Gunman Before Deadly Attack

This week, police records have unveiled details about Joshua Jahn, portraying him as a reclusive and unemployed individual. 

In the years leading up to his attack on a Dallas detention building for ICE on September 24, which resulted in three fatalities, including his own, Jahn became increasingly obsessed with artificial intelligence and harbored delusional fears regarding radiation exposure.

Documents acquired by The Associated Press via an open-records request reveal that Jahn's parents informed investigators he was “completely normal” prior to relocating to Washington state a few years back for a temporary position at a cannabis farm. Upon his return to Texas, it was reported that he suspected he was suffering from radiation sickness, leading him to don cotton gloves to prevent contact with plastic.

According to the report from the Fairview Police Department, Jahn, 29, engaged in target shooting with a recently purchased rifle on family land in Durant, Oklahoma, roughly a month prior to the incident. Andrew Jahn expressed his astonishment to the police when his son revealed an “old rifle” he had retrieved from his car, mentioning that he had acquired it online not long ago. Sharon Jahn, the mother of Jahn, informed the FBI that she was completely unaware of her son's possession of a firearm.

Federal investigators have indicated that Jahn left behind handwritten notes and ammunition labeled “ANTI-ICE,” implying a plan to ambush federal agents. However, the recently released documents fail to reveal a definitive motive for the attack, which resulted in the deaths of two detainees and left another injured before Jahn took his own life on the roof of the Dallas immigration facility.

Jahn’s parents characterized him as a solitary individual, often found immersed in computer games within the confines of his upstairs bedroom. It was reported that he had an “obsession” with artificial intelligence, coupled with a lack of close friendships and stable employment. According to the records, there was no diagnosis or treatment for any mental illness in his history.

Family interactions seemed fraught with tension. Documents reveal a history of disputes within Jahn’s family, including an incident where his mother summoned law enforcement after his older brother failed to appear for an Army recruiter meeting, as well as another occasion involving his sister's refusal to attend high school. In the face of challenges, the Jahns remained steadfast in their financial support for Joshua upon his return home.

At the scene of the shooting, investigators uncovered a vehicle that contained a map detailing radioactive fallout patterns throughout the United States, reflecting Jahn’s intense preoccupation with radiation. According to his parents, he was convinced that he had been exposed during his time living close to a former Manhattan Project site in Washington state.

On Tuesday, neither the FBI nor local police issued a comment. The FBI announced that, in light of the current government shutdown, it is focusing on national security and critical public safety operations.