A suspect was killed Thursday afternoon in an exchange of gunfire with officers following an hours-long standoff in Cincinnati, Ohio, authorities said. Officials said the standoff began after the suspect attempted to enter the Cincinnati FBI Field Office building around 9 a.m. and then led officers in pursuit.
The suspect, identified by two law enforcement sources as Ricky Shiffer, ended the confrontation by shooting officers, Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Nathan Dennis said during a briefing. press Thursday evening. Officers returned fire and the suspect died at the scene. No officers were injured in the clash.
Authorities gave no indication Thursday of a possible motive for the offense, saying the incident was still under investigation.
But a few hours before the attack, Shiffer seemed to post on former President Donald Trump’s “TRUTH Social” social media platform to express his desire to kill federal agents. The post has since been deleted by the site’s moderators.
The situation unfolded around 9 a.m., when Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and local law enforcement officers responded to the alleged attempted breach at the field office. from the FBI.
A suspect raised the alarm when he allegedly attempted to break into the visitor control center. The FBI said the individual fled following an immediate response from special agents, prompting law enforcement to close about a one-mile stretch of a nearby highway and issue a lockdown warning to nearby residents and businesses.
According to a state Highway Patrol statement, officers located a Ford Crown Victoria on Interstate 71 in Warren County just after 9:30 a.m. that matched the description of the armed suspect’s vehicle. The driver fled officers and a shot was fired from the car.
Authorities pursued the car and the suspect pulled over at 9:53 a.m. on Smith Road in Clinton County, where he got out of the car and fired shots. He used his car as a shield – and the clash with the officers began.
After unsuccessful attempts to negotiate, officers attempted to take him into custody. The suspect fired multiple shots around 3:42 p.m., and law enforcement returned fire, Dennis said. The suspect died at the scene. The FBI said one of its agents was involved in the shootout, say in a statement that he was “reviewing this officer-involved shooting”.
FBI Director Christopher Wray released a statement Thursday condemning the violence and threats against the agency.
“Unfounded attacks on the integrity of the FBI erode respect for the rule of law and do grave harm to the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect others,” Wray said. “Violence and threats against law enforcement, including the FBI, are dangerous and should be of deep concern to all Americans.”
The incident came a day after Wray issued a warning about violent threats circulating online in the consequences from this week FBI Research at Trump’s Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.
“This was an appalling attack on law enforcement – my office and I are monitoring the situation as it develops,” Sen. Sherrod Brown also said in a statement. “My heart goes out to everyone whose life has been threatened by this attack.”