Another dangerous episode tied to anti-ICE activism nearly turned deadly in Idaho, but thankfully, this one failed to ignite — literally. An unknown suspect attempted a brazen attack on a federal facility and is still at large. (Authorities have not confirmed the suspect’s gender.)

According to reports, the attacker stole an ambulance in the city of Meridian on Wednesday night, loaded it with gasoline cans, and then rammed the vehicle into a Department of Homeland Security facility. The plan was to set the accelerant ablaze after impact. Gasoline had reportedly been poured around the vehicle, but the suspect failed to ignite it before law enforcement forced him to flee. He was described as wearing a black shirt, tan pants, and a medical-style mask.

It’s a good thing the attempt fell apart, because the potential outcome could have been catastrophic. A stolen ambulance packed with fuel, driven into a federal building, is not a prank — it’s a recipe for mass casualties.

This comes amid a steady drumbeat of inflammatory rhetoric aimed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement. When politicians and activists spend their time demonizing officers who enforce the law, it shouldn’t shock anyone when someone decides to “take action” in the worst possible way. Today it was incompetence that stopped a fireball. Next time, it might not be.

For now, no explosion, no inferno, and no loss of life — a small miracle owed to quick response and a suspect who couldn’t finish what he started. Law enforcement is searching for the attacker, and the public is reminded that targeting federal facilities is not protest; it’s criminal violence.

The takeaway is simple: strong enforcement and clear consequences matter. This incident ended without tragedy, and that’s something to be grateful for — but it’s also a reminder that backing the men and women who protect these facilities is the best way to make sure the next attempt doesn’t get a second chance.