A 43-year-old Boise woman now faces federal charges after authorities say she stole an ambulance, pre-staged accelerant, and rammed the vehicle into a building housing Department of Homeland Security offices in Idaho—all in what investigators are treating as a potential domestic terrorism incident.
Quick Take
- Sarah Elizabeth George arrested Monday in connection with February 18 ambulance attack on Portico North building in Meridian, Idaho
- Pre-staged gasoline cans suggest deliberate planning; suspect fled before fire ignition as officers arrived
- Federal charges carry mandatory minimum five-year sentence and up to 20 years imprisonment
- Attack reflects escalating tensions over ICE expansion, with DHS reporting 8,000% increase in death threats against officers
The Attack: Premeditation and Precision
On the evening of Wednesday, February 18, a suspect stole an ambulance from St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center, retrieved pre-staged gasoline cans from nearby bushes, and drove the vehicle into the Portico North office building at approximately 25 miles per hour. The suspect then poured accelerant inside and around the ambulance before fleeing on foot as officers arrived. No injuries were reported, and no fire ignited. The pre-staged gasoline cans reveal this was no spontaneous act—someone had planned this attack with deliberate preparation.
Five Days to Capture
Law enforcement moved swiftly. Within hours of the Thursday morning news conference announcing the manhunt, federal agencies including the FBI and ATF joined Meridian Police in the investigation. Over five days, investigators conducted door-to-door canvassing, collected surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, and deployed technological analysis. By Monday, February 24, they had executed an arrest warrant at Sarah Elizabeth George’s Boise residence. The 43-year-old now faces federal charges under statutes addressing attempted destruction of federal property by fire—charges carrying a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and up to 20 years maximum.
The Target and Its Significance
The Portico North building at 3330 East Louise Drive in Meridian houses administrative offices for the Department of Homeland Security. St. Luke’s Health System, which owns the property, emphasized through spokesperson Christine Myron that the leased space serves administrative purposes only—not as an ICE processing facility, and ICE officers are not stationed there. Yet someone chose this building deliberately, suggesting knowledge of its federal tenant and purpose.
A Broader Pattern of Violence
This attack did not occur in isolation. According to a DHS spokesperson, ICE officers are facing what they characterize as a coordinated campaign of violence. Death threats against ICE officers have increased 8,000 percent, while assaults have jumped 1,300 percent. These statistics emerged as ICE expands aggressively under the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which added 12,000 ICE officers and agents—a 120 percent workforce increase. The expansion has triggered fierce local resistance, with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and state officials warning they will not issue permits for proposed DHS detention facilities if legal requirements are violated.
The Motive Remains Sealed
Authorities have disclosed no information about George’s possible motive. Whether she acted alone or as part of a larger movement remains unknown. Federal investigators continue their work. The case demonstrates the vulnerability of federal facilities to direct action attacks and will likely prompt enhanced security measures at DHS offices nationwide, reshaping how the federal government protects administrative spaces housing immigration enforcement personnel.
The Portico North incident represents more than a single criminal act—it reflects the dangerous intersection of escalating national tensions, aggressive federal expansion, and the willingness of individuals to commit acts of violence against government targets. As federal prosecutors build their case against George, this attack will likely influence how federal agencies approach facility security and how courts prosecute attacks on DHS installations.
Sources:
DHS Office Building Targeted in Ambulance Attack; Meridian Police Chief Holds News Conference
ICE Expands Detention Network Amid Local Backlash
Stolen Ambulance Rams DHS Office Building in Meridian; Suspect Investigation Underway
Authorities Make Arrest After Ambulance Driven Into Building Housing DHS Offices