FBI arrests 2 men, including active-duty Marine, in 2022 firebombing of OC Planned Parenthood
IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- Two Orange County men, including an active-duty U.S. Marine, were arrested on suspicion of throwing a Molotov cocktail at a Planned Parenthood in Costa Mesa.
Tibet Ergul, 21, and 23-year-old Chance Brannon, a Marine stationed out of Camp Pendleton, were arrested on federal charges Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Ergul was taken into custody during an FBI raid at an apartment complex in Irvine.
"I saw through the peephole, FBI, SWAT team ... it looks like they arrested a son, took a wife out of the apartment and they were looking for her husband, who was not there but I saw him the day before," said Blair Russell, who lives in the apartment complex.
He said he knew it had to be something serious when he saw the amount of law enforcement members.
"They're searching the garage, the engine blocking the car of the apartment so, you know, who knows what they were looking for," said Russell. "They had at least 50, maybe 100 personnel and a Joint Terrorism Task Force. I've never seen anything like this. Nothing with the Joint Terrorism Task Force."
A criminal complaint alleges that Ergul and Brannon attacked the clinic on March 13, 2022 by throwing the Molotov cocktail at the location's entrance.
The damage to the building caused the clinic to briefly close, forcing the medical staff to cancel at least 30 appointments at the time.
The complaint also alleges that Ergul texted an acquaintance and took credit for the fire the day after, saying that he wished he "could've recorded the combustion." It also states that he sent a photo of his gloved hand holding the explosive inside Brannon's car.
Nobody was hurt in the incident, and the building only sustained minor damage.
Russell said his neighbors seemed like decent people and never thought they could be involved in anything violent.
"I've known them for a couple of years, they walk their dog in the morning, they're nice and friendly ... no issues," said Russell.
If convicted, the suspects can face more than 20 years in prison.
