A quiet Monday morning in downtown Los Angeles erupted into chaos when a man allegedly hurled two Molotov cocktails at federal officers stationed outside the building at 300 N. Los Angeles Street — a complex that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Authorities say the suspect, 54‑year‑old Jose Francisco Jovel, was motivated by anti‑immigration enforcement anger and made that message unmistakably clear as he launched the crude explosives.
According to the Department of Justice, Jovel shouted anti‑ICE remarks at officers as he threw the devices. Newly released photos capture the moment the bottles struck the building — though fortunately, neither ignited. Federal officers moved instantly, arresting Jovel and discovering he had come prepared for much more damage. In his possession: five additional Molotov cocktails, lighter fluid, four knives, and a Leatherman tool.
DHS officials say Jovel openly admitted he wanted to “blow up the building” and “spray down” the officers, even referring to his own actions as a “terrorist attack.” The gravity of the situation was heightened further by investigators’ discovery that earlier that same morning, Jovel had allegedly set fire to his Koreatown apartment after receiving an eviction notice.
This wasn’t an impulsive outburst — it was a chain of escalating violence brought on by a man with a long and troubling criminal history. DHS reports his record stretches back nearly forty years, including attempted murder in 1987, armed robbery in 1991, and a 2007 charge for molesting or annoying a minor.
The fact that someone with this background was able to come armed with firebombs to a federal building only fuels renewed conversations about lapses in public safety and the increasing aggression directed toward federal law enforcement.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement condemning the attack as “absolutely unconscionable,” thanking officers for their quick response and expressing relief that no one was injured.
Her reaction underscores what many in law enforcement have been saying for months: the rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement has grown increasingly heated — and increasingly dangerous.
Jovel is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday. The charges he faces are serious, and the broader implications of an attempted attack on federal officers are even more so.
