BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Authorities in Idaho were searching Thursday for a suspect who they said stole an ambulance outside a hospital, poured an accelerant over it and drove it into a nearby building that houses U.S. Department of Homeland Security offices.
Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea didn't identify the substance poured on the inside and outside of the ambulance. “It appears the suspect was unable to ignite the accelerant before being scared off by responding agencies,” he said in a statement.
The incident occurred at about 11:10 p.m. Wednesday in the Boise suburb of Meridian, police said.
The suspect took the ambulance from St. Luke's hospital and drove it north through a parking lot, Basterrechea said. The suspect then retrieved gas cans from nearby vegetation, he said.
Images broadcast on television show shattered glass doors at the entrance to an office building.
The building is owned by St. Luke's Health System, and is one of several in a large business complex known as The Portico, next door to the hospital. Other tenants at Portico North include health insurance company SelectHealth Inc., St. Luke’s Home Health and Hospice and Quest Diagnostics.
The hospital has faced criticism for leasing space to the Department of Homeland Security while President Donald Trump's administration carries out his immigration enforcement crackdown.
“There has been a lot of rhetoric” on the issue of the lease, Basterrechea said, adding that “comments on social media such as ‘property damage isn’t violence’ is absolutely false.”
He called the incident “a serious criminal act.”
“This was absolutely an act of violence, and if the suspect had not been interrupted, there is no doubt this building would have been burned, putting the lives of first responders and others at risk,” Basterrechea said.
He said his department was leading the investigation and was working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, DHS and other agencies.
McAvoy reported from Honolulu.
This photo provided by Idaho News 6 shows police tape on the scene where a stolen ambulance was driven into the Portico North building Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Meridian, Idaho. (Idaho News 6 via AP)
This photo provided by Idaho News 6 shows the aftermath of a stolen ambulance being driven into the Portico North building Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Meridian, Idaho. (Idaho News 6 via AP)
The Chicago Sky got off to a hot start to the WNBA season, but the health of young star Rickea Jackson is foremost on their minds after she had a non-contact injury on her left knee in Sunday’s win over Minnesota.
Jackson injured her knee in the second quarter and will have imaging done on Monday. The Sky went 3-1 on the season-opening road trip and will return home to face Dallas on Wednesday.
“She’s in decent spirits,” coach Tyler Marsh said after the game. “We’re waiting to evaluate everything, but she was proud of the team for continuing to fight while she was out.”
The 6-foot-2 forward was acquired by the Sky in the offseason in a trade with Los Angeles. She was averaging 22 points a game before getting hurt Sunday.
The Sky were already dealing with a handful of injuries as DiJonai Carrington (foot) Azura Stevens (knee) and Courtney Vandersloot (knee) are yet to make their season debuts. Skylar Diggins, who signed as a free agent this offseason, missed Sunday's game with an eye injury.
“We’re all extremely pleased and proud to come away with this road trip 3-1 and looking forward to getting back home," Marsh said.
The Sky play their next four games at home.
Las Vegas remained the No. 1 team in the poll with the Aces winning four straight after a opening loss to Phoenix. New York was second and Atlanta third. Chicago jumped up six spots to fourth. Phoenix and Minnesota followed the Sky. Washington, Golden State, Indiana were next.
Dallas, Toronto and Los Angeles were 10th through 12. Portland, Seattle and Connecticut rounded out the poll.
A stat correction awarded Caitlin Clark two additional assists in her game against Washington on Friday night. That gave her 10 for the game and set a WNBA record in the process. That gave the Fever star 11 career games with at least 20 points and 10 assists to break a tie with Vandersloot for most all time. Clark got her 12th on Sunday.
The Connecticut Sun have lost their first four games of the season for the second consecutive year. It hasn't helped that three of their first four games were against New York and Las Vegas twice. The Sun embark on a five-game West Coast trip with two games against the expansion Portland Fire. Last week the WNBA approved the sale and relocation of the team to Houston next season.
A'ja Wilson of Las Vegas was the AP player of the week. She averaged 24.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks to help the Aces win four of their first five games. She scored 45 points last Friday night in a win over Connecticut where the four-time MVP was 15-of-18 from the field, including hitting both her 3-point attempts, as well making all 13 of her free throws. It was a WNBA record fifth time that Wilson had scored more than 40 points in a game.
Other players receiving votes included Caitlin Clark of Indiana, Allisha Gray of Atlanta and Breanna Stewart of New York.
Dallas at New York, Sunday. The Wings have struggled in the early going and coach Jose Fernandez called out “selfishness” on his team after a loss to Minnesota last Thursday. Sunday's game will close out a three-game road trip for Dallas.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives past Los Angeles Sparks guard-forward Rae Burrell (12) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson (5) drives past Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas to score during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday, May 15, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
