An armed man in body armour who tried to breach the FBI’s Cincinnati office was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene and engaged in an hours-long standoff.
The confrontation came as officials warned of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The suspect has been identified as Ricky Shiffer, according to three federal law enforcement sources. A separate federal law enforcement source told CNN the suspect was believed to be armed with a nail gun and an AR-15 rifle.
After attempting to enter the FBI facility on Thursday, August 12, authorities say he fled and his vehicle was followed by state police. When the vehicle pursuit ended, there was a lengthy standoff that ended when the suspect was shot and killed by law enforcement, according to authorities.
The FBI said in a statement that it is investigating the circumstances that led to the suspect being shot. They are also investigating the man’s social media presence and whether he had ties to right-wing extremism, one of the sources told CNN.
Another source also said the authorities are looking into whether he participated in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol or was associated with any groups that took part in the attack.
