On the night of July 4, 2025, a shooting erupted outside the Prairieland Detention Center, a federal immigration facility near Alvarado, Texas, leaving Lt. Thomas Gross of the local police wounded. Responding to a 911 report of a possible break-in at the complex, Gross encountered an armed individual who fired at him, according to his account. The detention center, holding over a thousand detainees awaiting deportation, has been the focus of protests and occasional law enforcement responses.
Following the incident, law enforcement officials detained multiple suspects clad in black clothing and tactical gear near the facility. Among those apprehended were individuals carrying weapons, body armor, and communication devices. One suspect, Zachary Evetts, was found hours later several miles away, appearing exhausted and disheveled. Police also stopped a red minivan departing the area, operated by Meagan Morris, where officers discovered additional tactical equipment including Kevlar vests, a ballistic helmet, and firearms.
Within 24 hours, a total of 10 individuals were in custody as part of what federal authorities described as a planned attack on the Prairieland facility. An 11th suspect, Benjamin Song, was identified as the alleged shooter. After an 11-day manhunt involving tactical teams and multiple raids in Dallas, Song was captured and held alongside other detainees, many under solitary confinement. The initial bond for the group ranged from $10 million to $15 million.
Federal prosecutors characterized the group as “operatives” of a loosely organized left-wing movement labeled as a domestic terror threat by the Trump administration. They asserted that the suspects had conspired to use fireworks and vandalism to provoke law enforcement at Prairieland, intending to ambush and kill officers. Evidence presented at trial included military-style gear, high-capacity firearms, and printed materials containing anti-police and anarchist messages. Officials argued that these items underscored the group’s intent to carry out violent actions. Nancy Larson, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, described the incident as an ambush rather than a peaceful protest. The defendants faced charges including rioting, attempted murder, and material support for terrorism, carrying potential sentences of decades in prison.
The arrests sparked significant backlash from civil liberties organizations and critics of the government, who warned that the charges threatened constitutional protections for free speech and peaceful assembly. Supporters of the defendants contended that the group consisted of nonviolent activists demonstrating solidarity with detainees and that firearms were carried solely for self-defense amid concerns about possible intimidation by right-wing groups. They highlighted that most weapons were legally purchased in an open-carry state and were left in vehicles parked away from the site. Additionally, they noted one defendant charged was not present at the protest but implicated due to possession of related literature.
The case has revealed complexities beyond the initial government portrayal. Investigations and trial coverage suggest that Benjamin Song, a prominent figure within the group, influenced a circle of committed but inexperienced activists motivated by a mix of idealism and apprehension. Observers familiar with the group describe them as non-revolutionary individuals whose path toward radicalization was gradual and nuanced. This community emerged in Dallas following the 2020 protests nationwide, coalescing on encrypted messaging platforms without clear ideological uniformity but united by opposition to systemic injustices.
The Prairieland incident and subsequent legal proceedings underscore the challenges authorities and communities face in assessing the boundaries between activism and criminal conspiracy amid heightened political tensions and concerns over domestic security.