Idaho: Stolen Ambulance Driven Into DHS Office in Suspected Arson Attempt in Meridian; Suspect at Large

A man stole an ambulance from St. Luke's West hospital, which was loaded with gas cans and drove it into the Portico North office building, which houses the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office in Meridian, Idaho, on Thursday morning, February 19, then poured gasoline around the emergency vehicle before fleeing the scene. 

State and federal authorities have responded to the incident and termed it suspect domestic terror attack and attempted arson. The incident was planned as the suspect stolean ambulance on Wednesday night at around 11 pm. He then drove the ambulance through the parking lot and retrieved gas cans that were staged in nearby bushes, said Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea.

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Authorities in Idaho said they were searching for a suspect accused of stealing an ambulance outside a hospital, pouring an accelerant over it and crashing it into a nearby building housing offices of the US Department of Homeland Security in Meridian.

Meridian Police Chief… pic.twitter.com/t2oJO3S14D

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After staging the ambulance in the bushes between Portico and St. Luke's, retrieving gas cans, and then ramming the ambulance at 25 mph into the St. Luke’s Portico North building, Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea said the suspect poured gasoline, or an accelerant of some type, in and around the ambulance but was unable to light it before leaving the area.

Meridian Police say the suspect was wearing a black shirt, tan pants, and a medical-style mask. The police said that the situation is being treated as very serious. The FBI is assisting, along with the Meridian Police Department, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Boise Police Department, Meridian Fire Department, and Idaho State Police.