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Benjamin Song, who was captured by the FBI in Dallas on Tuesday afternoon for his alleged role in an anti-ICE Texas attack on Independence Day, was previously sued over his alleged involvement in an Antifa protester that resulted in assault charges in 2023.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation spent over a week trying to hunt down Benjamin Song, 32, for his alleged role in the Alvarado, Texas, attack targeting ICE agents, which left a local police officer shot in the neck and cars vandalized. The police officer is expected to recover. A $25,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
“The FBI has worked tirelessly to arrest everyone associated with the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center,” FBI Dallas Field Office Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said. “We would like to thank all the entities that publicized this case and assisted in our efforts to successfully locate Benjamin Song.”
There were ten suspects already facing federal charges for the attempted murder of federal officers and for “discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.” Song is now facing the same charges.
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Song is a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, and the FBI warned during the manhunt that he should be considered “armed and dangerous.”
Song was mentioned as an alleged member of an Antifa group in a 2023 lawsuit after three people protesting a drag queen brunch near Fort Worth, Texas, were assaulted by the members, according to the Post Millennial.
According to KERA News, Song was part of the Elm Fork Brown Gun Club that was both counter-protesting and doing security at the event, with the outlet reporting that they wore face coverings.
The group made headlines at the time for its Fort Worth counter-protest, including Rolling Stone, as those protesting were part of a Christian nationalist group.
Song’s father is Tailim Song, a registered Democrat and partner at the Dallas-based law firm, Song Whiddon PLLC, according to online records reviewed by Fox News Digital. His law firm bio says he “has been handling and trying cases for more than 20 years” and “has represented businesses and individuals across a wide variety of industries and practice areas, including litigation, real estate, land use, zoning, manufacturing, intellectual property, technology…environmental, aviation, consumer products, insurance, entertainment, transportation, medical devices, oil and gas, and renewable energy.”
His bio goes on to say that he is a member of the “Dallas Asian American Cultural Center, Friends’ Committee” and is a former commissioner of the Cultural Affairs Commission in Dallas, among other professional memberships.
Song’s mom is Hope Song, the program director of an Arlington, Texas, martial arts studio called Sentinel Martial Arts, according to online records reviewed by Fox News Digital. An archived webpage of her bio says she is a 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and “oversees the implementation of all in-house and off-site programming,” which includes “seminars and classes at local learning centers, schools, churches, camps and clubs; and coordination of special events, festivals, demonstrations and performances.”
Her bio also says she likes to empower young girls and women with self-defense classes to help them stay safe amid bullying and other potential dangers.
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In addition to Song, a twelfth suspect, Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada, is also facing conspiracy to tamper evidence charges. He is reportedly the husband of one of the alleged attackers. He was granted a green card under the Biden administration and is a prior recipient of DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
Some of the suspects charged in the Independence Day incident met in an online chat group on Signal, and court records show it could have been worse.
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A July 7 criminal complaint filed by the U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas alleges that assailants shot 20 to 30 rounds from an AR-15-style rifle before it jammed, causing it to malfunction, on Independence Day.
Investigators continued on Tuesday to look into how the suspects were linked, including through a possible Signal group chat.
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Court records revealed extensive planning as well as anti-government literature obtained in an apartment tied to a suspect, including literature entitled “Organising for Attack! Insurrectionary Anarchy.”
Another suspect allegedly had flyers in his backpack with “Fight ICE terror with class war!” and “Free all political prisoners.” Cars in the parking lot were spray-painted with “Ice pig” and “traitor.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI as well as Song’s parents.
Fox News’ William La Jeunesse, Brooke Taylor and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
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