MERIDIAN, Idaho—Authorities are searching for a suspect who stole an ambulance, loaded it with gas cans and rammed it into a federal office building housing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offices in an apparent attempted arson attack and domestic terrorism incident. No injuries were reported, and no fire was ignited.
The incident occurred around 11:10 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Portico North office building in Meridian, a suburb of Boise. Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea said during a Thursday news conference that the suspect took the Canyon County Paramedics ambulance from a bay at St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center, retrieved pre-staged gas cans from nearby bushes, then drove the vehicle into the building at about 25 mph.
The individual poured an accelerant inside and around the ambulance before fleeing on foot as officers arrived, Basterrechea said.
“This was absolutely an act of violence,” Chief Basterrechea told reporters.
Police described the suspect as wearing a black shirt, tan pants and a medical-style mask. The person’s identity has not been released, and a manhunt was ongoing Thursday with assistance from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Idaho State Police and other agencies.
The crash caused structural damage to the building and the ambulance, but no one was inside the offices at the time, authorities said. The Portico North building was recently leased to DHS for administrative purposes, though police clarified it is not specifically tied to ICE operations. DHS encompasses various agencies, including FEMA, the Coast Guard and TSA.
The Portico North building at 3330 E. Louise Drive in Meridian, Idaho, is a Class A office property owned by St. Luke’s Health System and part of a larger business complex. In addition to DHS administrative offices, other tenants in the building include health insurance provider SelectHealth Inc., St. Luke’s Home Health and Hospice, and Quest Diagnostics.
Investigators are treating the case as suspected attempted arson and a potential domestic terrorism incident. No motive has been disclosed, and police urged the public to call 911 with any information. Roadways around the site were reopened by Thursday morning to accommodate commuters.
St. Luke’s Health System confirmed the ambulance was stolen from its facility but said patient care was unaffected.
The attack comes amid heightened national tensions over immigration policy, though authorities have not linked it to any specific events.
Author: Mario Lotmore
