'This morning's attack at the ICE detention center in Tacoma was a horrific act of violence that has shaken us all,' said Washington Governor Jay Inslee.

A man armed with a rifle attempted to attack a Tacoma, Washington, immigrant detention facility with incendiary devices early Saturday morning, before dying in a shootout with police, Yahoo News reports.

At about 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, according to police, a man approached the Northwest Detention Center — which is privately operated by The GEO Group, through a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — and began throwing incendiary devices at the building and at cars in the parking lot. By the time an employee realized what was happening, a car was on fire and the suspect was attempting to ignite a propane tank outside the facility.

When police arrived, the suspect opened fire. Police returned fire, and the unnamed suspect was shot dead. No police were injured in the shootout. All of the police officers involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave, per Tacoma Police Department policy.

According to a police statement, the man was carrying a bag that had flares in it.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee called the incident “a horrific act of violence that has shaken us all.” Meanwhile, the man’s identity and motives remain unclear.

The treatment of immigrants at detention facilities has been under fire of late, with some describing inhumane conditions, such as lack of food and lack of clean water, at some facilities. Hours before the attack on the Northwest Detention Center, there had been a protest that police spokeswoman Loretta Cool described as “peaceful.” Another protest had been scheduled for Saturday, but since the Northwest Detention Facility was an active crime scene, that protest had to be moved.

In this particular case, however, the man’s motive remains unclear. A spokesperson for The GEO Group said in a statement that the allegations about inhumane conditions at immigration detention facilities played a role in the attack.

The spokesperson went on to say that none of the allegations about inhumane conditions at immigrant detention facilities apply to those run by The GEO Group. The spokesperson said that all of its facilities are modern and that no unaccompanied minors are kept there.

As for the suspect, he remains unidentified, and an autopsy is scheduled for the coming days. Authorities hope to be able to identify him by Monday. </s> Police in Washington state say an armed man was shot and killed early Saturday after trying to attack a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center.

The Seattle Times reported that the unidentified man appeared outside of the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma with a rifle and threw incendiary devices at both the facility and nearby propane tanks, at one point setting a vehicle on fire.

Officers responded to the incident around 4 a.m. and called out to the man before shots were fired. It was not clear how many shots were fired or whether the man fired at police.

SOME DEMOCRATS GIVE TIPS TO MIGRANTS ON HOW TO AVOID ICE DEPORTATIONS

Police spokesman Loretta Cool said the officers weren't wearing body cameras, but the area is covered by surveillance cameras from the detention center. The four officers involved were placed on administrative leave in accordance with the department's policy. None of them were injured.

ICE said in a statement that no employees "were harmed nor involved in this tragic incident."

The shooting took place hours after a rally in front of the detention center to protest planned mass deportation raids around the country. The Tacoma facility, which is run by the Department of Homeland Security, holds migrants pending deportation proceedings. The detention center has also held immigration-seeking parents separated from their children under President Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" policy, an effort meant to deter illegal immigration.

GEO Group, which runs the 1,575-bed Northwest Detention Center, in an email to The Associated Press said baseless accusations about how detainees are treated at its facilities "have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority. Violence of any kind against our employees and property will not be tolerated. We are thankful for the quick and brave action by the Tacoma Police Department, which prevented innocent lives from being endangered."

GEO Group said the detention center in Tacoma has modern amenities with air conditioning, recreational activities, a bed for every individual and medical care available at all hours.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that Washington state could pursue its lawsuit seeking to force GEO Group to pay minimum wage for work done by detainees at the detention center.

The planned raids come me at a time of intense scrutiny surrounding ICE and the treatment of migrants at detention centers. The administration's child separation policy was the subject of a contentious Congressional hearing Friday, during which former ICE director Tom Homan vehemently defended law enforcement amid criticism from Democratic politicians.

“As a 34-year veteran of law enforcement, it is shocking, shocking to see constant attacks against those that leave the safety and security of their homes every day, put on a Kevlar vest and put a gun on their hip and risk their own safety to defend this nation,” he said, at times appearing to get choked up as he defended his former colleagues.

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While President Trump and others have defended immigration authorities, some Democrats have called to either restrict federal funding for ICE or abolish the agency outright.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for example, said on Thursday that she and her colleagues still supported defunding ICE. She and other freshmen, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., tried blocking funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in June, accusing authorities of "killing innocent children."

Fox News' Adam Shaw, Edmund DeMarche, Brie Stimson, and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Click for more from Q13Fox.com. </s> Police in Tacoma, Washington, say they shot and killed a man armed with a rifle and throwing flammable objects at a migrant detention center. The attack followed a rally outside the facility by several hours. The motivation of the attacker has not been released at this time.

An employee at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma called police early Saturday morning to report a man with a rifle who was throwing “incendiary devices” and setting vehicles on fire, according to a report by QFox13.

The attack on the migrant detention center followed by several hours, a rally by migrant supporters outside the facility operated for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by GEO Group.

It is unknown at this time if the individual was attacking the facility with anti-ICE motivations, anti-migrant motivations, or if it was unrelated to either motive; however, a statement from GEO Group, a Florida based company that operates the facility in Tacoma, attributed the attack to the anger resulting from misrepresentations in media.

The statement, published by QFox13 blamed a “factually inaccurate portrayal” of their detention centers for spurring “misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees.”

Tacoma police reported that officers responded to the call at about 4 a.m. on Saturday. The officers say the man wore a satchel and was holding flares, the Seattle Times reported. Spokeswoman Loretta Cool told reporters that officers reported, “shots fired.” The officers then fired at the suspect, she said. When officers approached the man, they determined he had been shot and killed.

“Police fired on the man in a parking lot across from the facility, striking him fatally,” QFox 13 reported.

Cool told the Seattle Times it is not clear at this time if the suspect shot himself or if police officers shot him. Officials have not yet released the suspect’s identity.

A rally planned for Saturday afternoon by the group La Resistencia had to be postponed due to road closures around the facility and the ongoing investigation, the group posted on its Facebook page.

Cool said that four officers were involved in the shooting. The four officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The statement from GEO Group concluded, “Violence of any kind against our employees and property will not be tolerated. We are thankful for the quick and brave action by the Tacoma Police Department, which prevented innocent lives from being endangered.”

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face book. </s> A man died early Saturday morning after he reportedly tried to attack a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Washington state. More specifically, the man was targeting the Northwest Detention Center, which is the holding facility in Tacoma for ICE. The man apparently approached the privately run facility that is used to hold migrants while they await their deportation proceedings at around 4 a.m. That is when an employee at the prison reported that a man armed with a rifle was throwing homemade incendiary devices at the detention center as well as cars in the parking lot. The man was also allegedly trying to set a propane tank on fire.

Law enforcement officers went to the scene and reported seeing a man holding flares and a rifle. Officers called out to the man and then reported “shots fired.” It isn’t clear whether the gunman also opened fire on police. When medical help arrived, officers confirmed the gunman had been shot and killed but said it remains unclear whether he was killed by officers or whether he shot himself. The gunman has yet to be identified and there is no word about a possible motive. GEO Group, which runs the facility in Tacoma, said in a statement that incorrect claims about mistreatment of detainees at the facility “have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority.”

The shooting came a day before the national raids by ICE are set to begin. The effort that had been delayed is meant to arrest 2,000 undocumented migrants with deportation orders. A few hours earlier, protesters had gathered at the detention center in Tacoma to protest. The raids were originally planned for 10 cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Baltimore, Chicago and Atlanta. Officials, however, said that due to Hurricane Barry, Houston and New Orleans will not be targeted. </s> This post was originally published on this site

U.S. NEWS Rifle-toting man throwing "incendiary devices" at ICE detention center fatally shot by police https://linewsradio.com/rifle-toting-man-throwing-incendiary-devices-at-ice-detention-center-fatally-shot-by-police/ http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/

Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty Images(TACOMA, Wash.) — A man armed with a rifle, flares and “incendiary devices” at an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Washington state was fatally shot by police early Saturday, authorities said.

The unidentified man was allegedly throwing lit objects at buildings at Tacoma’s North West Detention Center on Saturday when he was shot following a confrontation with responding officers, Tacoma Police Department officials said in a statement released on Saturday.

A worker first reported that a man outside the facility was armed with a rifle around 4 a.m., Tacoma police said.

“It was reported the male was throwing incendiary devices at the Detention Center and then at vehicles in the parking lot,” the statement said. “A vehicle was set on fire. The male attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set out buildings on fire. The male continued throwing lit objects at the buildings and cars.”

Upon arriving on the scene and locating the man, “officers called out shots were fired,” according to the Tacoma Police statement. “Officers noted that in addition to the weapon, he was wearing a satchel and had flares on his person.”

Police did not immediately identify the deceased man, citing an ongoing investigation.

None of the police officers involved in the incident were injured. They were not identified by name but police officials said that the four male officers involved were placed on paid leave per department policy after an officer-involved shooting.

The officers involved include: a 45-year-old who has been with the Tacoma Police Department for 20 years, a 27-year old with four years on the force, a 28-year old with one year as a Tacoma police officer, and a 24-year old with nine months on the force.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) from the Seattle field office also responded to the scene, according to officials. </s> TACOMA, Washington - A man armed with a rifle and throwing "incendiary devices" at an immigration jail in Washington state on Saturday died after four police officers arrived and opened fire, authorities said.

The Tacoma Police Department said the officers responded to the privately run Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security detention facility that holds migrants pending deportation proceedings. The detention center has also held immigration-seeking parents separated from their children under President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy, an effort meant to deter illegal immigration.

The shooting took place about six hours after a peaceful rally in front of the detention center, police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said. She said another rally was planned for later Saturday, but it would have to be held in a different area because of the investigation into the police shooting.

Police said the man caused a vehicle to catch fire and that he attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set buildings on fire. Police said that besides the rifle, he had a satchel and flares.

Police said officers called out to the man, and shots were fired.

Cool said all four officers fired their weapons, but she didn’t have specific details of what took place. She said the officers weren’t wearing body cameras, but the area is covered by surveillance cameras from the detention center. She said she didn’t know if the man fired at the officers.

After the gunfire, officers took cover, contained the area and set up medical aid a short distance away, police said.

Officers then located the man and determined he had been shot and was dead at the scene. His name hasn’t been released.

Authorities say investigators are processing the scene and police are continuing to investigate. No law enforcement officers were injured. The four Tacoma police officers who fired their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave as is standard in officer-involved shootings.

A motive for the man’s actions hasn’t been determined, Cool said.

GEO Group, which runs the 1,575-bed Northwest Detention Center, in an email to The Associated Press said baseless accusations about how detainees are treated at its facilities “have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority. Violence of any kind against our employees and property will not be tolerated. We are thankful for the quick and brave action by the Tacoma Police Department, which prevented innocent lives from being endangered.”

GEO Group said the detention center in Tacoma has modern amenities with air conditioning, recreational activities, a bed for every individual and medical care available at all hours.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that Washington state could pursue its lawsuit seeking to force GEO Group to pay minimum wage for work done by detainees at the detention center.

In November, a Russian asylum-seeker who conducted a hunger strike to protest the conditions at the detention center died by suicide, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled.

Mergensana Amar, 40, was taken off life support after attempting to kill himself while in voluntary protective custody at the detention center on Nov. 15, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. </s> Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The shooting took place several hours after a peaceful rally protesting against immigrant detentions

An armed man who attacked an immigration detention centre in the US city of Tacoma died after police officers opened fire, authorities say.

Police said they received reports that a man, armed with a rifle, was throwing "incendiary devices" at the Northwest Detention Center early on Saturday.

He was later identified as Willem Van Spronsen, who was reportedly involved in an earlier protest at the centre.

The shooting came a day before a major deportation operation was due to begin.

The raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials will target hundreds of illegal immigrant families across 10 cities who have recently been ordered deported but have not yet left the country. It marks the latest move in US President Donald Trump's crackdown on migration.

Sunday's raids are not expected to affect Tacoma.

A police spokesperson told Reuters the incident on Saturday took place several hours after a peaceful rally outside the Washington state facility protesting against immigrant detentions.

In a statement, the Tacoma Police Department said the four police officers involved in the shooting had been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure in such cases, and an investigation into the incident was underway.

Police arrived at the privately run Northwest Detention Center at about 04:00 local time (11:00 GMT) after receiving reports that a man was throwing "incendiary devices" at the facility and at vehicles in the car park, the statement said. The man allegedly set a vehicle on fire and attempted to ignite a propane tank and set buildings on fire.

Officers said he was wearing a satchel and carrying flares.

Tacoma Police Department confirmed that all four officers opened fire on the suspect, while it remains unclear if he fired at the officers.

He was found shot dead at the scene. A police official said it could not yet be confirmed who was responsible for his death.

Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office identified Van Spronsen, a man in his late 60s, on Saturday night, according to local media reports.

He was reportedly accused of assaulting a police officer during a protest at the same centre last year.

Court documents cited by local media outlets said he wrapped his arms around the officer's neck and shoulders, as the officer was trying to detain another protester. After handcuffing him, police found that he had a collapsible baton and folding knife in his pocket.

A friend of Van Spronsen described him to the Seattle Times newspaper as an anarchist and anti-fascist. She said she believes he planned to provoke a fatal conflict with his actions on Saturday.

"I think this was a suicide. But then he was able to kind of do it in a way that spoke to his political beliefs," she said.

Northwest Detention Centre holds migrants pending deportation proceedings and has also held immigration-seeking parents separated from their children, the Associated Press reports.

GEO Group, which runs the facility, told the Associated Press that "baseless accusations" about how detainees are treated there "have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority".

What is President Trump's policy on migration?

President Donald Trump has always taken a hard line on immigration and during his election campaign made the building of a wall along the Mexican border a key pledge.

Earlier this year he declared a national emergency on the US southern border, claiming he needed special powers to build the wall to halt all illegal migration.

Controversial policies implemented by his administration in recent years include prosecuting adults who crossed the border illegally, resulting in children being separated from their parents.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption US migrant children "hungry, dirty, sick and scared" – lawyer Elora Mukherjee

There have been reports of "dangerous overcrowding" and inhumane conditions at migrant detention centres.

Four questions about US migration

Where do these people come from?

Traditionally large numbers of Mexican economic migrants have declined, replaced in part by a surge in families with children from Central American countries - particularly Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Why are they fleeing?

Many of these families are fleeing extreme poverty or the risk of gang violence.

Why are there still separated children?

Although the separation of migrant families was officially halted in June 2018, the New York Times reported that 700 families had been separated in the year since via "loopholes" in the court order - when parents have a criminal conviction or a disease, or when it is an aunt, uncle, or sibling accompanying the child. Some parents may be children themselves.

How many people cross the border?

It is impossible to say how many people have crossed the border. As of last month, the US Border Patrol said it had made 593,507 "southwest border apprehensions" since October 2018. </s> TACOMA, Washington — A 69-year-old man armed with a rifle threw incendiary devices at an immigration jail in Washington state early Saturday morning, then was found dead after four police officers arrived and opened fire, authorities said.

The Tacoma Police Department said the officers responded about 4 a.m. to the privately run Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security detention facility that holds migrants pending deportation proceedings. The detention center has also held immigration-seeking parents separated from their children under President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy, an effort meant to deter illegal immigration.

The shooting took place about six hours after a peaceful rally in front of the detention center, police spokesman Loretta Cool said.

On Saturday night, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Willem Van Spronsen of Vashon Island, the Tacoma News-Tribune and the Seattle Times reported.

Police said Van Spronsen caused a vehicle to catch fire and that he attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set buildings on fire. Police said that besides the rifle, he had a satchel and flares.

Police said officers called out to Van Spronsen, and shots were fired.

Cool said all four officers fired their weapons, but she didn’t have specific details of what took place. She said the officers weren’t wearing body cameras, but the area is covered by surveillance cameras from the detention center. She said she didn’t know if the man fired at the officers.

After the gunfire, officers took cover, contained the area and set up medical aid a short distance away, police said.

Officers then located Van Spronsen and determined he had been shot and was dead at the scene.

Authorities say investigators are processing the scene and police are continuing to investigate. No law enforcement officers were injured. The four Tacoma police officers who fired their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave as is standard in officer-involved shootings.

A friend of Van Spronsen said that she thinks he wanted to provoke a fatal conflict, the Seattle Times reported.

Deb Bartley, who told the Times she has been a friend of Willem Van Spronsen’s for about 20 years, described him as an anarchist and anti-fascist, and believes his attack on the detention center intending to provoke a fatal conflict.

“He was ready to end it,” Bartley said. “I think this was a suicide. But then he was able to kind of do it in a way that spoke to his political beliefs. I know he went down there knowing he was going to die.”

She said that she and other friends of Van Spronsen got letters in the mail “just saying goodbye.” He also wrote what she referred to as a manifesto, which she declined to discuss in detail, the Times reported.

Van Spronsen was accused of assaulting a police officer during a protest outside the detention center in 2018, The News-Tribune reported. According to court documents, he lunged at the officer and wrapped his arms around the officer’s neck and shoulders, as the officer was trying to detain a 17-year-old protester June 26, 2018, the newspaper reported.

According to court documents, police handcuffed Van Spronsen and found that he had a collapsible baton and a folding knife in his pocket. Van Spronsen pleaded guilty to the charge of obstructing police, and was given a deferred sentence in October, the News-Tribune reported.

GEO Group, which runs the 1,575-bed Northwest Detention Center, in an email to The Associated Press said baseless accusations about how detainees are treated at its facilities “have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority. Violence of any kind against our employees and property will not be tolerated. We are thankful for the quick and brave action by the Tacoma Police Department, which prevented innocent lives from being endangered.”

GEO Group said the detention center in Tacoma has modern amenities with air conditioning, recreational activities, a bed for every individual and medical care available at all hours.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that Washington state could pursue its lawsuit seeking to force GEO Group to pay minimum wage for work done by detainees at the detention center.

In November, a Russian asylum-seeker who conducted a hunger strike to protest the conditions at the detention center died by suicide, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled.

Mergensana Amar, 40, was taken off life support after attempting to kill himself while in voluntary protective custody at the detention center on Nov. 15, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. </s> A friend of the man who authorities say died after throwing explosive devices at an immigration jail in Tacoma, Washington says that she thinks he wanted to provoke a fatal conflict.

Deb Bartley, who tells the Times she has been a friend of Willem Van Spronsen's for about 20 years, described him as an anarchist and anti-fascist, and believes his attack on the detention center was intended to provoke a fatal conflict.

'He was ready to end it,' Bartley told the Seattle Times. 'I think this was a suicide. But then he was able to kind of do it in a way that spoke to his political beliefs . I know he went down there knowing he was going to die.'

She says that she and other friends of Van Spronsen, 69, got letters in the mail 'just saying goodbye.' He also wrote what she referred to as a manifesto, which she declined to discuss in detail, the Times reports.

Van Spronsen was accused of assaulting a police officer during a protest outside the detention center in 2018.

The newspaper also reports that court documents say he lunged at the officer and wrapped his arms around the officer's neck and shoulders, as the officer was trying to detain a 17-year-old protester June 26, 2018.

According to court documents, police handcuffed Van Spronsen and found that he had a collapsible baton and a folding knife in his pocket.

Van Spronsen pleaded guilty to the charge of obstructing police, and was given a deferred sentence in October.

But on Saturday, Van Spronsen, armed with a rifle threw incendiary devices at an immigration jail in Tacoma.

He was killed after four police officers arrived and opened fire.

The Tacoma Police Department said the officers responded at about 4am to the privately run Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security detention facility that holds migrants pending deportation proceedings.

The detention center has also held immigration-seeking parents separated from their children under President Donald Trump's 'zero tolerance' policy, an effort meant to deter illegal immigration.

The shooting took place about six hours after a peaceful rally in front of the detention center, police spokesman Loretta Cool said.

Cool said all four officers fired their weapons, but she didn't have specific details of what took place. She said the officers weren't wearing body cameras, but the area is covered by surveillance cameras from the detention center.

Police said the man caused a vehicle to catch fire and that he attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set buildings on fire.

Police said that besides the rifle, he had a satchel and flares. Police said officers called out to the man, and shots were fired.

After the gunfire, officers took cover, contained the area and set up medical aid a short distance away, police said.

Officers then located the man and determined he had been shot and was dead at the scene.

Authorities say investigators are processing the scene and police are continuing to investigate. No law enforcement officers were injured.

The four Tacoma police officers who fired their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave as is standard in officer-involved shootings.

The incident occurred just a day ahead of ICE's planned national raids in 10 cities, targeting hundreds of immigrants who were given deportation orders. Nearby Seattle, however, is not one of those cities on the list.

Activist group La Resistencia — ⁠ also known as NWDC Resistance, after Northwest Detention Center — has postponed its planned Saturday afternoon protest of the facility after reporting road closures and the facility's 24-hour lock down following the incident.

La Resistancia activist Maru Mora-Villalpando told the Seattle Times that they were notified about what occurred, but that the detainees inside the facility had no idea about the incident.

'They were not told that visits would not happen, were not told that the accident happened in the early morning. People in detention always are the last ones to know what's happening outside,' Mora-Villalpando told the newspaper.

She added that the organization handled three cases of medical neglect recently, including one that resulted in deportation and then death.

GEO Group, which runs the 1,575-bed Northwest Detention Center, in an email to The Associated Press said baseless accusations about how detainees are treated at its facilities 'have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority. Violence of any kind against our employees and property will not be tolerated. We are thankful for the quick and brave action by the Tacoma Police Department, which prevented innocent lives from being endangered.'

GEO Group said the detention center in Tacoma has modern amenities with air conditioning, recreational activities, a bed for every individual and medical care available at all hours.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that Washington state could pursue its lawsuit seeking to force GEO Group to pay minimum wage for work done by detainees at the detention center.

In November, a Russian asylum-seeker who conducted a hunger strike to protest the conditions at the detention center died by suicide, the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office ruled.

Mergensana Amar, 40, was taken off life support after attempting to kill himself while in voluntary protective custody at the detention center on November 15, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. </s> Willem Van Spronsen was an anarchist and anti-fascist from Washington who was fatally shot by police on July 13 while trying to set a fire with incendiary devices during an attack at an ICE detention center in Tacoma. Authorities say Van Spronsen was armed with a rifle and threw “lit objects” at buildings and vehicles in the parking lot of the Northwest Detention Center.

Van Spronsen, a Vashon Island musician, was shot and killed by Tacoma Police officers, the Seattle Times reports. No one else was injured.

Van Spronsen also went by the name Emma Durutti on a now-deleted Facebook profile and on an album titled “the audio manifesto” that was posted to Bandcamp a week before he was killed. While some have said the Emma Durutti name indicated Van Spronsen was trans — and Emma Durutti did post on Facebook in 2018 calling Willem Van Spronsen a dead name — friends of Van Spronsen say he did not identify as trans and used Emma Durutti as a pen name. The nom de plume is a reference to two of Van Spronsen’s inspirations: Emma Goldman, an anarchist activist, and Spanish insurrectionary Buenaventura Durruti.

The detention center is run by GEO Group, a private company, and has a capacity to hold 1,575 people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The incident comes amid nationwide protests against planned raids targeting undocumented immigrants announced by President Donald Trump and his administration and outcry against the conditions of facilities being used to hold detained migrants and asylum seekers.

Van Spronsen was previously arrested in 2018 at the Tacoma detention facility when he was accused of lunging at a police officer who was detaining another protester. Van Spronsen later pleaded guilty to obstructing a law enforcement officer and was given a deferred sentence. On Facebook, using the Emma Durutti name, Van Spronsen had posted frequently about issues connected to ICE detention centers and posted photos protesting outside of the Tacoma facility.

The incident occurred about 4 a.m., Tacoma Police said. Officers responded after receiving a call from an ICE employee at the detention center, according to the police department.

“We are extremely grateful to the officers of the Tacoma Police Department who reacted quickly to the incident that occurred outside the Northwest Detention Center this morning,” Michael Melendez, acting field office director for Seattle Enforcement and Removal Operations at ICE, said in a statement to The Washington Post. “This incident could have resulted in the loss of many more lives, were it not for the brave actions of all the officers involved.”

GEO Group told The Associated Press, that “baseless accusations,” about the facility, “have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority. Violence of any kind against our employees and property will not be tolerated. We are thankful for the quick and brave action by the Tacoma Police Department, which prevented innocent lives from being endangered.” The company said the Tacoma detention center has air conditioning and other modern amenities, recreational activities, a bed for every detainee and medical care available at all hours.

Police said they were at the scene investigating throughout the day Saturday. “The facility has been operating normally with detainees able to move about inside the building,” Tacoma Police said.

Here’s what you need to know about Willem Van Spronsen:

1. Police Say Van Spronsen Used Flares During the Parking Lot Incident & He Tried to Set a Propane Tank on Fire Before He Was Shot Dead by 4 Officers

Tacoma Police responded about 4 a.m. for a report of someone trying to set fires at the Northwest Detention Center, the department said. According to the Seattle Times, Willem Van Spronsen was armed with a rifle and was also carrying flares that he was using to set things on fire as incendiary devices. Police said Van Spronsen tossed lit objects at vehicles and buildings, causing one car fire. He also unsuccessfully tried to set a propane tank on fire.

In a statement, Tacoma Police said, “It was reported the male was throwing incendiary devices at the Detention Center and then at vehicles in the parking lot. A vehicle was set on fire. The male attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set out buildings on fire. The male continued throwing lit objects at the buildings and cars.” Police said he had a “satchel” and “flares.”

“He was throwing these items at the building in an effort to set it on fire. It didn’t work, it’s a concrete building,” Tacoma Police Officer Loretta Cool told KOMO-TV.

BREAKING: Tacoma PD says officers shot and killed a man after the Northwest Detention Center reported someone outside their facility with a rifle attempting to set the building on fire. pic.twitter.com/Ys5rWeyULQ — #Q13FOX (@Q13FOX) July 13, 2019

Local activists told the Seattle Times and KOMO that Van Spronsen appears to have been targeting a fleet of buses that are used to transport detainees to the Yakima airport. The detainees are then put on flights for deportation at the airport. It is not known if any of the deportation buses were damaged. An activist group, La Resistencia, said in a statement:

Today marks yet another death linked to the detention center, and another death at the hands of the police. Based on available information, including the police scanner recording, Willem Van Spronsen, the protestor killed, appears to have been targeting not the detention center itself, as has been widely reported in the media, but the parking lot across the street from the detention center which houses the NWDC’s transportation infrastructure. This infrastructure includes a fleet of buses that transports immigrants to be caged at the detention center, and that transports immigrants from the detention center to the Yakima Airport, from which they are deported. Mr. Van Spronsen was apparently trying to set the deportation buses on fire when he was shot and killed. His actions sadly reflect the level of desperation people across this country feel about the government’s outrageous violence against immigrants, which includes the use of detention centers to cage migrants both currently living in the U.S. and those seeking asylum. This death results from the federal government’s unresponsiveness to the anger and despair people feel at the horrors unfolding both at the border and in the interior, and from the inability of officers to de-escalate rather than shooting to kill. But for the City of Tacoma allowing the GEO Group’s facility to be built and expanded in Tacoma, this death, and the death and suffering of those inside the detention center would have been avoided. The NWDC has become a liability not just for the tens of thousands who have been caged there, but for the city of Tacoma itself. It’s past time for the city of Tacoma to cancel GEO’s business license. It’s clear that this “business” is a deadly one, that has only brought pain and suffering to our region. La Resistencia calls on the City of Tacoma to hold immediate public hearings addressing the Tacoma Police’s actions today that resulted in the loss of life at the Detention Center and why the City continues to allow GEO to operate with a city business license.

Tacoma Police said four officers shot at Van Spronsen. Police have not said he fired first or if he fired at all. The four officers retreated and took cover after shooting Van Spronsen. Medics were called, but were staged away from the scene and police said that when officers eventually did approach Van Spronsen, they found he was dead.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, police said. The four officers, who have not been named, were all placed on paid administrative leave. The officers range in experience from 20 years with the department to 9 months, according to the Seattle Times.

Shawn Fallah, who heads the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, told The Washington Post, “This could have resulted in the mass murder of staff and detainees housed at the facility had he been successful at setting the tank ablaze. These are the kinds of incidents that keep you up at night.”

After police identified Van Spronsen at the scene, investigators searched his Vashon Island home with assistance from the King County SWAT team, the Seattle Times reports.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president in the 2020 election, wrote in a statement on Facebook, “Along with many Americans, I object with every fiber of my being to Donald Trump’s inhumane treatment of immigrants in America. But if today’s attack was motivated by opposition to the federal government’s actions, it was totally unacceptable. Violence is not acceptable.”

Inslee added, “Our democracy is strong and we are a resilient people. But it is, again, unacceptable to turn to violence. Hate crimes are on the rise, as is divisive and incendiary rhetoric. We must be better than that and find non-violent ways of pursuing the better world we want, as many groups are doing.”

Officer Cool said the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the ATF are assisting in the ongoing investigation of the incident.

2. Van Spronsen’s Friends Say He Likely Planned to Die During the Attack & Had Sent a Manifesto Out Before His Death Saying ‘It’s Time to Take Action Against Evil’

Van Spronsen was arrested during a protest at the Tacoma detention facility on June 26, 2018, according to court documents. Court documents show that Van Spronsen was accused of lunging at a police officer who was trying to arrest a 17-year-old protester. Van Spronsen was accused of wrapping his arms around the officer’s neck and shoulders. Officers found a collapsible baton and a knife in his possession when he was handcuffed.

The officer was not injured. In October 2018, Van Spronsen pleaded guilty to the lesser obstruction charge and was given a deferred sentence, meaning he would not have to spend time in jail as long as he did not violate the conditions of his probation. Prosecutors said he had no known criminal record prior to that arrest.

Willem Van Spronsen’s friends said he likely planned to die during the attack on the ICE facility, the Seattle Times reports. He mailed a manifesto to several of his friends in recent days.

“He was ready to end it,” Van Spronsen’s friend of 20 years, Deb Bartley, told the Seattle Times. “I think this was a suicide. But then he was able to kind of do it in a way that spoke to his political beliefs. … I know he went down there knowing he was going to die.”

Van Spronsen said he was “just saying goodbye” in the message along with the manifesto. Parts of the manifesto have been posted online:

These are a few pages from #WillemVanSpronsen's goodbye letter. He wrote this before attacking the ICE facility. Some are calling a "manifesto". pic.twitter.com/9kofi2yqPK — Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) July 14, 2019

“There’s wrong and there’s right. It’s time to take action against the forces of evil,” Van Spronsen wrote. “Evil says one life is worth less than another. Evil says the flow of commerce is our purpose here. Evil says concentration camps for folks deemed lesser are necessary. The handmaid of evil says the concentration camps should be more humane. Beware the centrist.”

He added, “I have a father’s broken heart. I have a broken down body and I have an unshakeable abhorrence of injustice. That is what brings me here. This is my clear opportunity to make a difference, I’d be an ingrate waiting for a more obvious invitation.”

“In these days of fascist hooligans preying on vulnerable people on our streets, in the name of the state or supported and defended by the state, in these days of highly profitable detention/concentration camps and a battle over the semantics, in these days of hopelessness, empty pursuit and endless yearning, we are living in visible fascism ascendant,” Van Spronsen wrote.

Van Spronsen said “rich guys,” including Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Bill Gates, Betsy DeVos, George Soros, Donald Trump, and others, “really dig government” and “fascism serves the needs of the state serves the needs of business and at your expense.”

Following yesterday's officer involved shooting outside the Northwest Detention Center, demonstrators have come back to protest the facility and ICE raids that are supposed to begin today. There's also a small contingency of anti-protestors from the WA 3% org. #KOMONews pic.twitter.com/WNUhVxOgeU — Nick Popham (@KOMOPopham) July 14, 2019

Van Spronsen said that when he was a boy in post-war Holland and later France, he had his head filled with stories about the rise of fascism in the 30s and, “I promised myself I would not be one of those who stands by as neighbors are torn from their homes and imprisoned for somehow being perceived as lesser. You don’t have to burn the motherf*cker down, but are you just going to stand by?”

He said, “To my comrades: I regret that I will miss the rest of the revolution. Thank you for the honor of having been in your midst. Give me space to be useful, to feel that I was fulfilling my ideas, has been the spirited pinnacle of my life. My trans comrades have transformed me, solidifying my conviction that we will be guided to a dreamed of future by those marginalized among us today. I have dreamed it so clearly that I have no regret for not seeing how it turns out.”

Van Spronsen wrote, “I am antifa, I stand with comrades around the world who act from the love of life in every permutation. Comrades who understand that freedom means real freedom for all.”

Van Spronsen said he was “radicalized in civics class at 13 when we were taught about the electoral college. It was at that point I decided that the status quo might be a house of cards. Further reading confirmed in the positive. … I am not affiliated with any organization. I have disaffiliated from any organizes who disagree with my choice of tactics. The semi-automatic weapon I used was a cheap, home built unregistered “ghost ar15. I had six magazines. I strongly encourage comrades and incoming comrades to arm themselves. We are now responsible for defending people from the predatory state. Ignore the law in arming yourself if you have the luxury. I did.”

3. Van Spronsen Called Himself an Anarchist & Others in the Community Say They Are ‘Inspired’ by His Actions & Was Also Once a Part of the Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club

Will Van Spronsen called himself an anarchist and was active in the Washington state anarchist community. He was also once a member of the left-wing defense group called the Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club.

A post on the Puget Sound Anarchists website reads, “All we know about what lead up to this comes from the cops, who are notoriously corrupt and unreliable sources for such a narrative.”

“We find his actions inspiring. The vehicles outside the detention facility are used to forcibly remove people from their homes and deport them, often to situations where they will face severe danger or death. Those vehicles being destroyed is only a start of what is needed,” the Puget Sound Anarchists wrote. “We wish the fires Will set had freed all the inmates and razed the entire Northwest Detention Center to the ground. And we miss our friend and wish from the bottom of our hearts that his action had not ended in his death.”

The anonymous author wrote:

Will Van Spronsen was a long-time anarchist, anti-fascist and a kind, loving person. Here in Olympia some of us remember him as a skilled tarp structure builder from the Occupy encampment in 2011. Others remember him from the protests outside the NWDC last summer where he was accused of lunging at a cop and wrapping his arms around the officer’s neck and shoulders, as the officer was trying to arrest a 17-year-old protester. The very next day when he was released from jail he came right back to the encampment outside the center to support the other protesters. He is also remembered as a patient and thoughtful listener who was always willing to hear people out. We are grief stricken, inspired and enraged by what occurred early this morning. ICE imprisons, tortures and deports hundreds of thousands of people and the brutality and scale of their harm is only escalating. We need every form of resistance, solidarity and passion to fight against ICE and the borders that they defend. Will gave his life fighting ICE we may never know what specifically was going through his head in the last hours of his life but we know that the NWDC must be destroyed and the prisoners must be freed. We do not need heroes, only friends and comrades. Will was simply a human being, and we wish that he was still with us. It’s doubtless that the cops and the media will attempt to paint him as some sort of monster, but in reality he was a comrade who fought for many years for what he believed in and this morning he was killed doing what he loved; fighting for a better world.

In August 2011, he wrote a letter to the editor published in the Vashon-Maury Island Beach Comber in opposition to the support for regulations that allow households to capture rain.

“Are we really willing to submit to laws regulating every little detail of our existence on this planet? Inane laws imposed by those who simultaneously allow and encourage the exploitation and despoiling of the planet and life upon it for the sake of ‘progress’ and ‘growth’ and a house of cards called ‘the economy,’ he wrote. “There’s staggering change on the horizon; it would behoove us to take note and learn the skills, among them how best to use rainwater, to cope with the radically different world bearing down upon us. Regardless of silly laws and regulations.”

The Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club says on its website, “PSJBGC is an anti-fascist, anti-racist, pro-worker community defense organization committed to accountable, community-led defense in the Puget Sound (aka Salish Sea) region of western Washington, in the Pacific Northwest, USA. … We believe in active resistance to the corrosive and destructive social effects of white supremacy, sexism, bigotry, and economic exploitation. We stand in defense of the well-being of the community over the enrichment of the individual, and we stand in solidarity with those who share our mission for a just future.”

The John Brown Gun Club said on Facebook:

Early in the morning on July 13, Willem Van Spronsen, a former member of Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club, was killed in an altercation at a facility adjacent to the Northwest Detention Center. We’re stunned, shocked, and saddened by his death. Will was known for his kindness, gentleness, and warm heart. He was a father, a folk singer, and friend. Will cared deeply about making the world a better place and he felt injustice towards others as personal as a wound. He took direct action to protect traditionally marginalized and threatened communities. The rounding up of our neighbors into for-profit detention centers was not a semantics debate for Will, it was an abomination. We are mourning and hope that in the days, weeks, and months ahead, people who knew and loved Will can find a way to grapple with his loss and honor his memory. Will often talked of being useful. If you need to take something away from his action we hope it’s that if the rest of us were all more useful towards compassion and justice then he could have stayed with us.

Seattle Antifascist Action wrote on Facebook, “martyrs never die.” The antifa page added, “When our good friend and comrade Willem Van Spronsen took a stand against the fascist detention center in Tacoma, he became a martyr who gave his life to the struggle against fascism. He was kind and deeply loved by many communities; we cannot let his death go unanswered. Throughout history we idolize figures like John Brown for their courage to take the ultimate stand against oppression, and today we stand strong in our support for yet another martyr in the struggle against fascism. May his death serve as a call to protest and direct action.”

Direct Action Alliance said on Facebook, “This is Willem Van Spronsen, he was killed by Tacoma police on the morning of July 13 while attempting to destroy transportation infrastructure of an American gestapo prison in Tacoma, WA. As far as we know, he is the first American to die in an attempt to liberate the current internment/concentration camps in the stolen lands of America. He joins a long legacy of anarchists who have fought and died for the liberation of the oppressed. He is a #hero. #RestInPower #NeverAgainIsNow #CloseTheConcentrationCamps #ReturnTheChildren #AbolishICE.”

4. He Had Been Going Through a Divorce & Child Custody Battle Since 2013 & Was Accused of Domestic Violence by His Estranged Wife

In his manifesto, Van Spronsen mentioned having a “broken heart” as a father. Court documents and an online fundraising campaign started by his daughter show that he had been going through a bitter divorce and custody battle since 2013. Van Spronsen had been accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife and had been limited in the amount he was allowed to see his young son, his adult daughter wrote.

“In March of this year, my dad’s wife Shelley left him and accused him of domestic violence. I can’t imagine what prompted Shelley to take such dramatic action, but Will has never, ever been threatening or violent in the entire time I’ve been alive. Unfortunately in the state of Washington, hearsay evidence is enough to have orders placed against anyone regardless of evidence to the contrary,” Ariel Van Spronsen wrote on Indiegogo. “This accusation has prevented Will from being able to see his son Boots more than 4 supervised hours per week. Boots needs the love and care of both of his parents. This is a balance that is very important. Will has tried up to this point to defend himself because he is unable to afford an attorney.”

During his divorce case, Van Spronsen’s estranged wife received a domestic violence protection order against him four times. Those four orders were issued after hearings. The protective orders were issued in 2013, 2014, 2016 and in February 2019.

After her father’s death, Ariel Van Spronsen wrote on Facebook, “Hi everyone, thank you so much for the outpouring of love regarding the loss of my father. My heart is broken but I am ok. Thank you too for all of the messages I’ve received. If I don’t get back to you please know it’s only because I’m overwhelmed right now. I am receiving, and feeling, your support. I’m going to need it in the coming shitstorm. I have subjected myself to a very small part of the hurricane of media, tweets, posts, etc. about the shooting. I am too deep in emotions and basic logistics to engage in a conversation about it. All I ask is that people remember that he was a human being, with a family and friends who loved him.”

She added, “I believe he carefully planned his actions so as not to harm any innocents. I have yet to physically ID it, but based on media photos I believe the car that was burnt was my old 2002 VW GTI, which I had loaned to him. It was on its last legs anyway. He operated alone, at a time of day (4:00 am, I am told) where no one else would be around. I believe that was intentional. I’m not condoning it. I’m just asking for people to try to chill out about characterizing it. You don’t know even the half of it.”

5. Van Spronsen, Who Was a Folk Singer & Posted an ‘Audio Manifesto’ a Week Before His Death, Worked as a Carpenter & Contractor

Will Van Spronsen was a self-employed carpenter and contractor and was also a folk singer. He played at events and venues around his Vashon Island home.

He had published several songs online under the name the Super8, including a recent digital album called “the audio manifesto.” The album concludes with a song Van Spronsen dedicated to his son.

Since his death, a Facebook page created by Van Spronsen under the name Emma Durutti has caused some confusion. A friend wrote on Twitter, “As far as we (friends of the fallen) know, this isn’t accurate. Emma was likely a nom de guerre for the purposes of antifascist work online. And while no shortage of love for us trans comrades was shown, he used exclusively male pronouns and hadn’t hinted otherwise to any of us.”

Another friend wrote, “Will self-identified as a cis male. This is a conversation had as recently as 2 weeks ago. He used a nom de plume based on the names of 2 of his inspirations online. That does not reflect his chosen gender. However, the Trans community and protecting it was very important to him. His song ‘I Was a Girl’ is about someone very important to Will, it was not autobiographical. That being said, please know that the Trans Community was important to Will and just last month he helped ensure the safety of participants in a TransPride event.”

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Four policemen kill a suspect attempting to attack an ICE immigrant detention center in Tacoma, Washington. The perpetrator was armed with a rifle and incendiary devices, and had left a three-page manifesto advocating political violence (BBC) (Heavy)