Georgia Man Arrested for Alleged Molotov Cocktail Attack on ICE Building
Authorities describe the incident as an act of terrorism, with the suspect facing federal charges.
Federal authorities have arrested a 31-year-old Georgia man in connection with an alleged Molotov cocktail attack on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in downtown Atlanta.
Inique Hinton of Douglasville was charged Thursday with attempted arson of a federal building and depredation of government property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. Prosecutors are calling the incident an “act of terrorism.”
“An attack on federal property is an attack against our democracy. It is an act of terrorism, it is an act of political violence, and it cannot stand,” U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg stated at a news conference.
Security cameras reportedly captured Hinton near the ICE building at 180 Ted Turner Drive shortly before 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday. According to charging documents, he allegedly ignited an object and threw it toward the facility, causing flames to spread upon impact with the exterior fence.
Investigators reported that burned cloth, lighter fluid, a glass bottle, and a lighter were recovered at the scene. Hinton was apprehended by the FBI on Thursday at a residence in Cobb County.
“This was obviously an attack directed at the ICE facility,” Hertzberg said, emphasizing that prosecutors would respond with “extreme severity” to send a message that such actions are unacceptable. He added, “We can talk about immigration, we can have civil discourse but we cannot allow criminal acts, terroristic acts, like the one that was committed three days ago in our city.”
Hertzberg also noted that the Atlanta ICE building had been targeted approximately six years prior, in the summer of 2020. “I want to make very clear we are not going back to that. We will not tolerate attacks on government property and attacks against federal law enforcement,” he said.
Atlanta police observed the incident and attempted to pursue the suspect but were unable to make an arrest that night. The FBI subsequently released images of an unidentified suspect and offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his identification and arrest.
If convicted of attempted arson, Hinton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The charge of depredation of government property carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.
Authorities stated that the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
