Georgia Man Arrested for Alleged Molotov Cocktail Attack on ICE Building

Federal authorities have arrested a 31-year-old man from Georgia for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in downtown Atlanta. This act has been described by prosecutors as “an act of terrorism.”

Inique Hinton, a resident of Douglasville, faces charges of attempted arson on a federal building and depredation of government property. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced the charges.

“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,” stated U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg during a news conference.

Security cameras reportedly captured Hinton near the ICE building at 180 Ted Turner Drive just before 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Minutes later, he is said to have ignited and thrown an object toward the facility. The incendiary device struck an outer fence, causing flames to spread.

Investigators at the scene recovered burned cloth, lighter fluid, a glass bottle, and a lighter. Hinton was arrested on Thursday by the FBI at a location in Cobb County.

“This was clearly an attack directed at the ICE facility,” Hertzberg emphasized. He warned that prosecutors would respond with “extreme severity” to deliver a message that such acts are not permissible.

Hertzberg continued, “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.”

The Atlanta ICE building has a history of being a target, previously facing attacks approximately six years ago, during the summer of 2020. Hertzberg noted, “We will not tolerate attacks on government property and attacks against federal law enforcement.”

Atlanta police officers witnessed the incident and attempted to chase the suspect. However, they were unable to apprehend him on that night. Following the incident, the FBI released images of the unidentified suspect and announced a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to an arrest.

If convicted of attempted arson, Hinton faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The charge related to government property carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

The investigation continues as authorities seek further details about the case.