Standoff ends after armed man allegedly tried to break into Cincinnati FBI office
An armed man who allegedly tried to break into the FBI's Cincinnati field office Thursday was killed by police after an hourslong standoff, officials said.
Following a chase and a failed negotiation, the suspect was fatally shot by police after he allegedly raised a gun toward law enforcement officers, an Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesperson said during a press briefing.
The suspect was identified as Ricky Shiffer, 42, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News. Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the suspect as Shiffer on Friday. Law enforcement officials briefed on the probe told ABC News the suspect was a "suspected domestic violent extremist."
Ohio State Highway Patrol started pursuing the suspect shortly after 9:30 a.m. after he allegedly fled from the field office.
Troopers followed the suspect, who was driving a white Ford Crown Victoria, to Clinton County, where shots were fired, according to officials.
The suspect, who officials said was armed with a rifle and wearing body armor, had been contained in a cornfield off Interstate 71 near Wilmington, according to Clinton County Emergency Management. He left his car and used it for cover during the standoff, state police said. The suspect appeared to have a gunshot wound to his leg but was mobile, according to a law enforcement source.
The suspect was allegedly armed with an AR15-style rifle and also brandished a nail gun during the alleged break-in attempt at the FBI field office in Cincinnati, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
After attempting to negotiate with the suspect, police started to move in to take him into custody, Ohio State Highway Patrol said. After the suspect allegedly raised a firearm toward them, law enforcement fired their weapons, striking him at around 3:40 p.m., the agency said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The FBI's field office in Cincinnati released a statement to ABC News.
"The FBI is now reviewing this agent-involved shooting. The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under investigation by the FBI's Inspection Division. The review process is thorough and objective, and is conducted as expeditiously as possible under the circumstances," the statement read.
Clinton County Emergency Management alerted around 4:30 p.m. that the law enforcement response "has ended."
A lockdown was in effect within a 1-mile radius of the standoff scene. People were instructed to lock doors and stay inside.
The man led police on a chase along Interstate 71 before exiting near Wilmington. Ohio State Highway Patrol said shots were fired from the suspect's vehicle before it exited and, once it pulled off the interstate, gunshots were exchanged between the suspect and police.
No officers were injured, police said.
It remains unclear why the man allegedly tried to break into the FBI office but it comes amid a series of threats following the FBI's court-authorized search of former President Donald Trump's Florida residence.
