LOS ANGELES — A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of throwing Molotov cocktails at the Los Angeles Federal Building, authorities said Tuesday. Nobody was hurt.
Security guards heard a man yelling derogatory comments about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement outside the downtown building on Monday, according to a statement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
He then hurled two incendiary devices at the guards, the department said.
“Fortunately, the bottles were not lit and did not catch fire and there were no injuries or damage to federal property,” the DHS statement said.
FBI agents arrested Jose F. Jovel, of Los Angeles, said bureau spokesperson Laura Eimiller.
Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint Tuesday charging him with multiple counts of attempted malicious damage of federal property and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Jovel had set his apartment on fire hours earlier in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles after receiving an eviction notice. He arrived at the downtown federal building Monday morning with multiple shopping bags, the affidavit said.
Jovel reached into a bag and threw a Molotov cocktail through an open sliding door that was marked as an employee entrance. He then threw another Molotov cocktail through the door of the building's public entrance, where a line of people were waiting to go through security.
It wasn't known Tuesday if Jovel has an attorney. The Federal Public Defender's Office didn't immediately respond to a phone call asking if one of its attorneys is representing him.
Jovel, who had four knives on him when he was arrested, has an “extensive criminal history,” including an attempted murder charge in 1987, the DHS statement said.
Officers searched the bags Jovel brought with him and found a flame torch and five additional Molotov cocktails, according to the complaint affidavit.
Jovel described his actions as “a terrorist attack” and said to the officers, “You’re separating families," the U.S. Attorney's office said.
The office said they believe the attack was motivated by anti-immigration enforcement sentiment.
If convicted of his charges, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison. He is expected to appear Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she was alarmed by the incident.
“This type of behavior is absolutely unconscionable. Thank you to our LAPD officers and law enforcement partners for their intervention and response. I am grateful that no one was injured,” Bass said in a statement Tuesday.
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