ATLANTA, Georgia — October 24, 2026
A 31-year-old Georgia man has been charged with federal offenses after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in downtown Atlanta, according to federal authorities.
Inique Hinton, who lives in Douglasville, was arrested on Friday, October 23. Prosecutors charged him with attempted arson of a federal building and depredation of government property.
What happened in Atlanta?
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, surveillance cameras allegedly recorded Hinton near the ICE facility at approximately 8:12 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20.
Investigators say he ignited an object and threw it toward the building. The object struck an exterior fence, causing flames to spread.
Authorities later recovered burned cloth, lighter fluid, a glass bottle and a lighter at the scene. The building houses ICE offices and an immigration court.
FBI investigation and arrest
The FBI investigated the incident with assistance from the Atlanta Police Department. Initially, investigators asked the public for help identifying the person involved and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Hinton was subsequently arrested at a residence in Cobb County, Georgia, without incident, according to authorities.
Federal prosecutors said the case would be pursued seriously because the alleged incident involved an incendiary device directed at a government facility.
Potential penalties
If convicted, Hinton faces a potential prison sentence of five to 20 years for attempted arson and up to 10 years for the government-property charge, according to the US Attorney’s Office. Actual penalties would depend on the applicable law and the outcome of the proceedings.
The charges are allegations, not proof of guilt. Hinton is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Investigation continues
The case highlights the security concerns surrounding federal facilities and the work of investigators responding to alleged attacks on government property.
Authorities have not established a motive in the information cited here. The legal process will determine the facts and whether the defendant is guilty of the charges.
Source: US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia; CNN U.S. News, October 24, 2026. This is a rewritten news summary, not an official CNN publication.
ATLANTA, Georgia — October 24, 2026
