Stolen Ambulance Used In Attempted Arson Attack On DHS Office

An attempted arson attack targeting a building housing Department of Homeland Security offices has left Idaho authorities sounding the alarm about escalating anti-federal rhetoric.

Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea said during a Thursday press conference that a suspect stole an ambulance, doused it in accelerant, and rammed it into a building leased in part by DHS. The suspect fled before igniting the fuel, preventing what officials say could have been a catastrophic blaze.

“We want to emphasize that this was a serious criminal act,” Basterrechea said. “The theft and destruction of an emergency vehicle not only created risk to responding personnel, but it also temporarily removed a critical medical resource from the community.”

The ambulance was stolen from St. Luke’s hospital and crashed into a building owned by St. Luke’s Health System in Meridian. The facility houses leased office space used by the Department of Homeland Security.

Authorities said the accelerant was never ignited, but the intent was clear. Basterrechea warned that if the suspect had not been interrupted, the building “would have been burned,” potentially endangering first responders and others in the area.

The suspect remains at large.

The building’s lease agreement with DHS had already been the subject of heated public debate. Police suggested that inflammatory rhetoric circulating online may have contributed to the attack.

“There has been a lot of rhetoric surrounding the Department of Homeland Security leasing office space at this location,” Basterrechea said, directly pushing back against social media commentary that “property damage isn’t violence.” He called that notion “absolutely false.”

“This was absolutely an act of violence,” he added.

The attempted arson comes amid a broader spike in threats and attacks against federal immigration enforcement officers.

According to a recent statement from a DHS spokeswoman:

• Assaults against officers have increased by 1,300%.

• Vehicular attacks are up 3,200%.

• Death threats have surged by 8,000%.

The department has attributed the escalation to heated political rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement, particularly as agents carry out President Donald Trump’s border and deportation policies.

“Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the spokeswoman said.

DHS, established in 2003 after the September 11 terrorist attacks, employs roughly 260,000 personnel nationwide. Its responsibilities include border security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and immigration enforcement.

In recent years, some Democratic lawmakers and activist groups have sharply criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with a handful comparing ICE agents to historical secret police forces language that critics argue fuels hostility toward federal officers.

Law enforcement leaders have increasingly warned that rhetoric minimizing property damage or portraying agents as illegitimate targets can embolden unstable individuals.

Wednesday night’s attack underscores those concerns. What began as political disagreement over a building lease escalated into the theft of a lifesaving ambulance and an attempted arson targeting a federal agency.

As investigators continue searching for the suspect, local officials are urging calm and accountability.

If you want more updates on national security and public safety, share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for continued coverage.