Fox Host Under Fire For Suggesting ICE Shooter Was MAGA-Aligned Without Evidence

A rush was on Wednesday morning to deduce the motive of a gunman who killed one and wounded three others at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas, Texas on Wednesday morning.

But a Fox News host stepped over the line for many viewers when he suggested the shooter may have been carrying out “his own form” of justice by targeting illegal immigrants being detained at the facility.

Over a “breaking news” chyron, Fox reporters discussed what may have motivated the individual, described in initial reports as a white male, before turning to Trey Gowdy for his thoughts.

“Talk to me about this moment, legally,” the anchor asks Gowdy.

“To know the motive, you’ve gotta know the target,” he replied while suggesting that authorities will try to scour the man’s online presence and interview his coworkers to “get a sense of if he was aiming at ICE agents.”

“Or… or, was he implementing his own form of due process for these detainees and killing them?” Gowdy speculated.

“I know people love motive and in this particular case I want to know the motive,” he continued before pivoting back to safe territory, talking about how ICE agents have been “vilified for years.”

The damage was plain, however, on social media, where users condemned Gowdy’s attempt to pin the blame on opponents of illegal immigration who support ICE’s mass deportation mission.

“Unreal!” exclaimed one user on X. “WTF is wrong with him????? What a dumb comment.”

“He’s a total hack,” another declared.

WATCH:

At a press conference, FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said the Dallas, Texas detention center was likely targeted because the shooter had a deeply-held animosity for ICE.

“What I can also tell you is that early evidence that we’ve seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature,” he explained.

If the shooter was targeting ICE agents, it would be the latest in a stunning increase in left-wing violence since President Donald Trump took office.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported in July that ICE agents had experienced a 700% increase in threats compared to prior years. That figure rose to 1,000% in August.

Fox News reported that the shooting occurred when detainees were being brought into a port of the facility, where the gunman was able to strike at least three people.

At least one person was killed in addition to the shooter, Rothrock said.

“While we’re not releasing identities of any victims at this time, what I can confirm for you is no members of law enforcement were hurt during this attack,” he stated while appealing for the public’s help.

“Any piece of information will be helpful,” he told reporters. “This will be an ongoing investigation between us, a number of federal partners, and our local partners again to ensure that anyone responsible is held accountable.”