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STATEMENT

Police say Feb. 4 traffic stop turned up materials to make Molotov cocktails and knives

True

Evidence from credible sources supports the statement as accurate. Learn more in Methodology.

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enforcement

St. Helens Police incident report or booking/charging documents confirm that on February 4 officers discovered materials to manufacture Molotov cocktails (bottles, sand, accelerant) and a backpack with knives in the vehicle.

Source summary
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced an investigation after Rayden Colemen, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in Oregon following a traffic stop where police found materials to make Molotov cocktails and knives; he allegedly authored a manifesto plotting to kill ICE personnel at the Portland ICE office and said an AR-15 was due for delivery. Coleman was arrested on state charges — six counts of manufacturing a destructive device and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault — and the case is under investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned rhetoric she said incites violence and cited large percentage increases in assaults and death threats against ICE and CBP officers.
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Latest fact check

Multiple credible sources, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release and local news reporting, state that police stopped Rayden Tanner Coleman on Feb. 4 and found materials consistent with Molotov cocktails (glass bottles partially filled with sand and accelerant) in his vehicle. The DHS release additionally reports officers found a camouflage backpack containing multiple knives during the stop; that specific detail appears in the DHS statement though it is not repeated in every local report. Verdict: True — law enforcement conducted a Feb. 4 traffic stop that uncovered items for making Molotov cocktails; DHS also reports a camouflage backpack with multiple knives was found during that stop.

Sources

Timeline

  1. Update · Feb 12, 2026, 10:34 AMTrue
    Multiple credible sources, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release and local news reporting, state that police stopped Rayden Tanner Coleman on Feb. 4 and found materials consistent with Molotov cocktails (glass bottles partially filled with sand and accelerant) in his vehicle. The DHS release additionally reports officers found a camouflage backpack containing multiple knives during the stop; that specific detail appears in the DHS statement though it is not repeated in every local report. Verdict: True — law enforcement conducted a Feb. 4 traffic stop that uncovered items for making Molotov cocktails; DHS also reports a camouflage backpack with multiple knives was found during that stop.
  2. Original article · Feb 11, 2026
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