An 18-year-old Oregon man has been arrested after authorities discovered his manifesto detailing plans to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in Portland using Molotov cocktails and firearms.
Rayden Tanner Colemen faces multiple charges including manufacturing destructive devices and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault after police discovered materials for making firebombs during a February 4 traffic stop, according to law enforcement officials.
From Traffic Stop to Terror Plot
St. Helens Police made what turned into a high-risk traffic stop at Avamere Assisted Living, where Colemen works. What they found was alarming: glass bottles in his trunk alongside surveillance equipment — components consistent with manufacturing Molotov cocktails, investigators revealed.
During questioning, Colemen didn’t mince words. He admitted an AR-15 style rifle would be delivered to his home the following day, and chillingly stated that had he already possessed the weapon, he “would have carried out his threats” against ICE personnel, according to Department of Homeland Security statements.
The teen’s roommates told investigators that Colemen’s radical plans began taking shape in early January. His focus? Portland ICE agents. The plot allegedly included following agents to their homes, killing them, and bringing their severed heads to the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, court documents show.
A Separatist Vision
But the violence was apparently just the beginning. Colemen reportedly envisioned creating a separate nation called the “Cascadia Rangers Coalition” based at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, where he planned to recruit others to his cause.
His preparations went beyond mere talk. Roommates described Colemen’s behavior as “escalating” in the weeks before his arrest. He had gathered tactical axes, a U.S. Army knife, shovels, and was making payments for the AR-style rifle that was scheduled for delivery.
What drove an 18-year-old assisted living facility employee to allegedly plot mass murder against federal agents? That question remains unanswered as investigators continue piecing together the case.
Escalating Threats Against ICE
For federal officials, this case represents a disturbing escalation in violence targeting immigration enforcement personnel. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin expressed alarm over the incident.
“Every day there are more assaults, more vehicle-ramming attacks, and more attempts to kill our officers,” she said. “Now, we have an American citizen who planned to kill ICE officers with Molotov cocktails and gun them down. It’s disturbing.”
Colemen now faces serious legal consequences: six counts of manufacturing a destructive device and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault. Federal charges could potentially follow the state charges.
During his police interview, Colemen made no attempt to conceal his intentions, openly admitting he had plans to kill ICE agents and intended to use the Molotov cocktails against them, according to court filings.
For now, the teen remains in custody as authorities continue investigating what could have become one of the deadliest attacks on federal immigration personnel in recent years.
