ALVARADO, Texas — On July 4, a group of activists gathered outside the Prairieland Detention Center in this small city south of Fort Worth, aiming to draw attention to conditions inside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility holding more than 1,000 detainees. What began as a noise demonstration with fireworks quickly escalated into chaos when shots were fired, wounding a local police officer. Now, 18 individuals face federal charges ranging from providing material support for terrorism to attempted murder, in a case that federal prosecutors describe as a planned antifa ambush but which defendants and their supporters call a peaceful protest caught in a political dragnet.
The incident unfolded around 10:37 p.m., when about 11 masked protesters emerged from a tree line west of the detention center. According to court documents and footage reviewed by journalists, one participant damaged a security camera at the guard shack and spray-painted graffiti, including 'Fuck You Pigs' on the camera and 'ICE Pig' on a parked Toyota Prius. The group then fanned out along the razor-wire fence, lighting small fireworks that popped in bursts of pink, red, and green just above the treetops. Prosecutors have labeled these fireworks as 'explosives' used to commit felonies, including injury to property.
Corrections officers inside the facility called 911 at approximately 10:56 p.m., about 15 minutes after the fireworks began. Two officers stepped out to confront the group, prompting some protesters to scatter. Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross arrived moments later, his engine revving as he pulled up. Body camera footage captures Gross shouting, 'Hey, stop! Get on the ground!' What followed is disputed: Prosecutors claim someone yelled 'Get to the rifles!' before gunfire erupted, with Gross crying out, 'Fuck, I’m hit!' The footage ends abruptly there.
Gross was struck in the trapezius muscle above his collarbone, with the bullet exiting through his upper back. Fellow officer Adam Sharp, a fire marshal, arrived soon after and assisted Gross, telling him, 'It grazed you, bud,' before transporting him to a nearby supermarket parking lot for a medevac helicopter. Federal prosecutors initially alleged multiple assailants fired 20 to 30 rounds from AR-15-style rifles. However, state filings by early August reported only 11 shell casings at the scene, suggesting a single shooter. During a September preliminary hearing, an FBI official testified that he could not determine the origin of the first shots.
The protesters had arrived prepared for potential confrontation, according to encrypted group chat logs cited in court filings. Former Marine reservist Benjamin Song, identified as the alleged shooter, argued in the chats for bringing firearms as a deterrent, writing that 'Cops are not trained or equipped for more than one rifle, so it tends to make them back off.' The group brought 11 firearms but left many in cars, backpacks, or a wagon near the entrance. At least two phones were found in a Faraday bag, which blocks wireless signals.
Nine of the 11 on-site protesters were arrested that night by a multi-agency task force, including the Texas Game Warden, bolstering Alvarado's small 26-officer police department. Eleven firearms were recovered, many disassembled or stored away. The remaining arrests came in the following days, pulling in individuals not present at the protest based on alleged ties to the group. As of mid-December, seven defendants — four of whom were not at the scene — had accepted plea deals to avoid lengthy federal prison terms.
Federal charges stem from a broader crackdown outlined in President Donald Trump's National Security Presidential Memorandum-7, or NSPM-7, signed after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The directive urges investigations into 'anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity' as motivations to disrupt left-wing groups preemptively. Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson, who took office on May 29, described the demonstration at a July 7 press conference as 'a planned ambush with the intent to kill ICE corrections officers.' Johnson County District Attorney Timothy Good echoed this on July 16, telling a local Fox affiliate that authorities would pursue everyone who 'aided and abetted' the protest.
Prosecutors point to the protesters' use of black bloc attire — black clothing with face coverings — encrypted apps, and nicknames like 'Champagne,' 'Jon ValJon,' and 'Not Beating the Little Creature Allegations' as evidence of a conspiracy. They also cite links to an anarchist book club and the local Socialist Rifle Association, a nonprofit gun club, to classify the group as an antifa cell. Five defendants face multiple counts of attempted murder, while others, including those absent from the protest, are charged with material support for terrorism.
Defendants and supporters paint a different picture. Dario Sanchez, a former middle school computer science teacher not present at the protest, now lives under strict bond conditions, including an ankle monitor and court-mandated spyware on his devices. He avoids online activity for fear it could be misinterpreted as 'violent,' and undergoes random drug tests despite not drinking even coffee. Sanchez was arrested on July 15 after a fellow Socialist Rifle Association member, John Thomas, sought refuge at his home following a raid. Charged with tampering with evidence for removing Thomas from group chats per security protocols, Sanchez described the FBI raid: an armored vehicle rammed his door, a drone scouted inside, and he was offered a deal to let agents impersonate him online in exchange for avoiding 50 years in prison.
'That just told me they were just angling to try and scoop up other people for no good reason,' Sanchez said. He spent about 30 days in solitary confinement and was briefly rearrested in September after searching online about converting a model car into a remote-controlled device, which violated his bond. Similarly, Daniel Sanchez Estrada, a green card holder, was arrested on July 7 for transporting a box of anarchist literature, including poet Wendy Trevino's 'Cruel Fiction.' ICE's Instagram post called it 'literal insurrectionist propaganda.'
Autumn Hill, one of the on-site protesters, was arrested during a July 5 raid on the home she shared with her wife, Lydia Koza, which the FBI dubbed a 'commune.' Koza recalled hearing Hill's chat nickname 'Little Creature' in court: 'I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.' Rebecca Morgan, who housed Song for several days post-incident, was arrested at work after her home raid. Janette Goering faces charges for providing a Faraday bag, which her husband Jesse Spahn said she made at a workshop unrelated to the protest. Her bond is set at $5 million; she was taken from her home barefoot and in pajamas.
Xavier T. de Janon, mass defense director for the National Lawyers Guild, warned of the case's chilling effects. 'If you attend a demonstration that becomes volatile due to an action taken by someone in the crowd — or, for that matter, someone in law enforcement — you could now find yourself on trial for something you had little to do with,' de Janon said. 'Even if you aren’t present, as was the case with Sanchez, you run the risk of facing potentially life-ruining federal charges. If Prairieland sets the precedent, the state could just accuse you of anything and say you ‘conspired’ to do [it].'
The North Texas U.S. Attorney's Office, under Larson — an active Federalist Society member — has faced internal turmoil from Department of Government Efficiency cuts and resignations, with up to a quarter of staff departing amid perceived politicization. Larson appointed Matthew Weybrecht, who has advocated for presidential 'absolute' authority over the DOJ, to key oversight roles. The office declined comment for this story. Larson was replaced in recent months by Ryan Raybould, a former Kirkland & Ellis partner.
Local residents near the detention center report heightened tensions. Justin, 34, who lives yards from the facility, said security has increased with a new gate and more guards, but otherwise, 'it’s been pretty calm…. Sometimes you hear them hollering back there.' His mother, a 20-year resident, expressed fear after giving a statement to local news in July, saying her family now faces frequent traffic stops. 'They’re over there watching us all right now,' she said before closing her door.
As the case heads toward trial, it stands as the first major test of NSPM-7's scope under the second Trump administration. With six terabytes of evidence, including CCTV and body cam footage, shared with the defense, questions linger about the shooting's circumstances and the rifles' role. Amber Lowrey, sister of protester Savanna Batten, questioned the prosecution's narrative after visiting Batten's raided home, where a work uniform was laid out and a meal prepped in the microwave. 'Any rational person would know that the story the state has spun — that was a suicide mission,' Lowrey said. The outcome could redefine the boundaries of protest and free speech in America.