Police Killed Gunman Who Tried to Break Into Ohio FBI Office

Police killed a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest who tried to break into the FBI office in Cincinnati on Thursday and fled after an exchange of gunfire with authorities.

The incident took place as complaints from authorities about threats against federal agents increase days after the FBI searched the property of former President Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

Federal officials say the man attempted to enter the visitor control area at the FBI office and fled when agents confronted him. He was chased up Interstate 71.

The man is believed to have been in Washington in the days leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and may have been present on Capitol Hill on the day of the attack, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the matter. The official was unable to publicly discuss the details of the investigation and spoke with Associated Press under condition of anonymity.

The suspect was identified as Ricky Shiffer, 42, according to the police official. He was not charged with any crime in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, the official said. Federal investigators are examining whether Shiffer may have had ties to far-right groups, including the Proud Boys, the official said.

An increasing number of threats have been reported against FBI agents and offices across the country since the Mar-a-Lago search warrant was executed. On Gab, a social networking site popular with white supremacists and anti-Semites, users warned that they are preparing for an armed revolution.

Chain NBCnews reported that the man armed with an AR-15-style rifle fired a nail gun at the building. Authorities closed two roads and imposed a lockdown of the area.

Federal officials have also been tracking several troubling conversations on Gab and other platforms that threaten violence against federal agents. FBI Director Christopher Wray denounced the threats when he visited another bureau office in Nebraska on Wednesday.

“Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you’re upset with,” Wray said Wednesday in Omaha.

The federal agency warned its agents to avoid protesters and ensure their security cards “are not visible outside of FBI space,” citing an increase in social media threats to bureau staff and facilities. . He also warned officers to be aware of their surroundings.

The warning did not specifically mention the Mar-a-Lago break-in, but attributed the online threats to “recent media reports of FBI investigative activity.”

_{*With information from the Associated Press and Reuters.}

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