Brothers planned to visit Las Vegas before carrying out attacks on ICE agents, DHS says
Two men who authorities said planned to meet with others in Las Vegas and later carry out attacks against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were arrested earlier this month, according to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security.
The men, brothers Mark Bennett and John Bennett, were arrested at separate locations in Virginia on Nov. 19, two days after a Norfolk, Virginia, police officer overheard the brothers “discussing plans to kill police officers and ICE agents,” the news release stated.
The officer, the release said, also heard Mark Bennett talk about meeting with “like-minded individuals” in Las Vegas and plans to buy firearms and ammunition.
Mark Bennett was arrested at the Norfolk International Airport, where he was slated to leave on a flight to Charlotte. His travel plan included a later connecting flight to Las Vegas.
John Bennett was arrested Nov. 19 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Bennett has worked at Kemperville High School in Virginia Beach since 2009, the release said. As of Friday afternoon, Bennett was still listed as an assistant principal on the school’s website.
“It’s chilling that a human being, much less a child educator, would plot to ambush and kill ICE law enforcement officers,” said Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in the release. “Our officers are facing a more than 1,150 percent increase in assaults against them and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats while they risk their lives every single day to remove the worst of the worst, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members.”
McLaughlin also said ICE officers have experienced incidents of stalking, online doxxing, and threats against their families.
Both men were charged with conspiracy to commit malicious wounding, a violation of Virginia state law and will undergo court proceedings at a later date.
Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
