Jurors listen to 911 calls in Alvarado ICE facility ambush trial

FORT WORTH, Texas - During the second day of testimony, jurors listened to 911 calls made the night nine people allegedly ambushed an ICE detention center in Alvarado, Texas.

The defendants maintain it was a protest. The federal government calls it a coordinated domestic terrorism attack.

Trial Testimony Day 2

The backstory:

The nine defendants in this case – Daniel Estrada, Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, Maricela Rueda, Bradford Morris, Savanna Batten, Benjamin Song, Zachary Evetts, and Cameron Arnold – are each accused of attacking the Prairieland Detention Facility on July 4, 2025, allegedly under Song’s direction.

The violence culminated in gunfire that left a responding Alvarado Police Department Lt. Thomas Gross seriously injured.

Defense attorneys have argued there was no ambush. They called it a planned noise demonstration to show support for the immigration detainees.

What's new:

On Wednesday, jurors heard a 911 call from a frantic detention staffer reporting to police a disturbance along the building perimeter. People dressed in back were setting off fireworks and shouting, according to the caller.

They also heard testimony from FBI Special Agent Clark Wiethorn, who was the lead investigator on the case.

U.S. Attorney Shaun Smith questioned Wiethorn about video from the facility’s security cameras.

"Within three minutes of Lt. Gross getting shot, how many people did you place at Prairieland?" he asked.

"Thirteen people," Wiethorn replied.

During cross-examination, several defense attorneys also questioned the investigator.

"No one ran up to the fence to try to throw any fireworks over the fence, did they?" a defense attorney asked.

"No, I did not observe that," Wiethorn replied.

Another defense attorney appeared to cast doubt on whether the defendants intended to cause any harm, mentioning two unarmed detention workers who went outside to see what was happening.

"Before the officer, there were no shots fired toward the detention center workers, were there?" an attorney asked.

"No," Wiethorn said.

"Wouldn’t they have been easier targets?" the attorney questioned.

"I can’t answer that," the investigator replied.

"If waging an attack, would you rather encounter someone who is unarmed or armed?" the attorney continued.

The question was rephrased after the judge interjected.

"There was not a shot fired until Lt. Gross was on the scene, correct?" the attorney asked.

"Correct," Wiethorn said.

U.S. Attorney Smith also asked the special agent if he thought Lt. Gross acted appropriately on that night.

"It is extremely reasonable for any law enforcement officer to pull their weapon to address the potential threat," Wiethorn said.

Dig deeper:

The trial is playing out at the federal courthouse in downtown Fort Worth. The media was given a limited view of the courtroom through a live stream accessible only from a room in the Earle Cabell Federal Building in Dallas.

The nine defendants on trial have nine separate defense teams. So, it’s been difficult for journalists to determine which defense attorney is speaking. A good number of them are taking part in the cross-examination of the government’s witnesses.

The trial has also attracted attention from journalists from across the country. Some have traveled from cities such as Chicago and New York to watch the trial.

Continued Coverage

• Alvarado ICE facility terrorism trial: Attorneys give opening statements
• Alvarado ICE facility terrorism trial restarts following mistrial
• Mistrial in federal domestic terrorism case over Alvarado ICE facility attack
• 9 alleged Antifa members face domestic terrorism trial for July 4 ICE facility attack
• First Antifa terrorism case: 5 plead guilty in Alvarado ICE facility attack
• Justice department must 'connect the dots' in first-ever Antifa indictment
• 9 'Antifa cell members' indicted in connection with Alvarado ICE shooting
• Alvarado ICE Facility Ambush: 21st person facing charges related to 'coordinated attack'
• Benjamin Song, 'Top 10' suspect in Alvarado ICE attack, captured in Dallas
• Alvarado ICE facility an 'easy target' for ambush, criminologist says
• Alvarado ICE facility attack: Blue Alert sent for military veteran suspected in shooting
• Alvarado officer shot in neck while responding to suspicious person call

Alvarado ICE Ambush

The nine defendants in this case are accused of participating in what federal prosecutors have called a planned ambush at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center on July 4, 2025.

Authorities allege fireworks were ignited, buildings and vehicles were damaged, and federal officers were fired upon. An Alvarado police officer responding to a 911 call was shot in the neck and survived.

Prosecutors contend the attack was orchestrated by members of what they describe as a North Texas Antifa cell and have labeled the case the first federal indictment in the nation tied to alleged Antifa-related domestic terrorism charges.

The defendants have denied wrongdoing, and their supporters insist the gathering was a protest and that not everyone present participated in the violence.

Five other people arrested in connection with the incident previously accepted plea deals and are expected to testify as the trial moves forward.