A Seattle-area Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent accused of pointing her service pistol at another immigration officer after being told to sign a “performance improvement plan” now faces federal charges.
Prosecutors claim deportation officer Peggy Lee Robbins drew down on her supervisor Thursday during a performance review inside the Department of Homeland Security offices at Tukwila. According to charging papers, other officers took cover until Robbins was coaxed into surrendering her pistol.
Writing in court papers, a Federal Protective Service special agent said Robbins had been asked to sign an improvement plan when she unholstered her pistol and pointed it at her supervisor. Believing he was about to be shot, Robbins’ supervisor fled the cubicle.
Another ICE officer then came upon Robbins, who was crying at her desk, the special agent said in court papers. A civilian worker unaware of the incident approached Robbins and asked if she was all right.
“I’m not going to say anything until the police arrive,” Robbins told her, according to charging papers.
Meanwhile, Robbins’ supervisor and other officers gathered to clear people out of the workspace. The area was evacuated and a team moved in to retrieve Robbins.
Robbins heard them coming and announced she was “at peace,” the special agent said in court papers.
“I am at peace,” she is alleged to have said. “Are you coming at peace?”
A supervising officer approached Robbins with his hands up and asked that Robbins surrender her gun, the special agent said. She did so and was arrested.
Robbins was charged Friday with assaulting a federal officer. She remains jailed pending a Monday hearing at U.S. District Court in Seattle.