The FBI announced Tuesday that Benjamin Hanil Song, 32, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, has been apprehended after being wanted in connection with a shooting outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado.
Song was charged with three counts of attempted murder and three counts of discharging a firearm during a violent act, stemming from the July 4 shooting at the detention center. He had been on the run following the attack, but authorities worked tirelessly alongside federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners to locate him. U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson expressed confidence that Song wouldn’t remain in hiding for long, noting that his co-conspirators had been swiftly arrested as well.
Court records indicate that Song is linked to purchasing four guns associated with the shooting. Law enforcement has not disclosed Song’s exact whereabouts at the time of his arrest.
He is the 14th individual detained related to the incident. Additionally, ten others face charges of terrorism, attempted murder, and discharging a firearm during a violent act. An 11th person was charged with obstructing justice and conspiracy.
Two arrests made Monday involved John Thomas and Lynette Sharp, who are believed to have assisted Song in fleeing the scene. Thomas faces a $5 million bond on charges of smuggling and helping Song evade arrest, while Sharp’s bond is set at $2.5 million for hindering prosecution.
A police search warrant at Thomas’ residence, executed July 8, revealed that Thomas had been aware of, and living with, Song since September 2024. The complaint alleges Thomas helped plan the attack, transported Song, and coordinated logistics after the shooting.
Evidence shows Thomas reportedly met with three unidentified individuals on July 5, the day after the incident, to discuss how to get Song out of the area. He allegedly transported Song to a house he was house-sitting. Text message records indicate that Thomas, Sharp, and others used coded language and monitored group chats to coordinate their efforts to assist Song’s escape.
Court documents further describe how, on July 3-4, as many as 12 individuals dressed in black allegedly shot fireworks at the detention center, prompting correctional officers to call dispatch. During the chaos, someone in the woods opened fire, hitting an officer in the neck. Several firearms were recovered from the area, including two left behind in the woods and others found on some of the arrested individuals. Additionally, two AR-15-style rifles were seized after a Johnson County Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle less than a mile from the facility.
