Armed suspect who tried to breach Cincinnati FBI building shot, killed during standoff, police say
An armed man who attempted to breach the FBI's Cincinnati office was killed by law enforcement after fleeing into a rural area, authorities said Thursday.
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 man is believed to have been in Washington in the days leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and may have been present at the Capitol on the day of the attack, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the matter. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The suspect was identified as Ricky Shiffer, 42, according to the law enforcement official. He was not charged with any crimes in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, the official said. Federal investigators are examining whether Shiffer may have had ties to far-right extremist groups, including the Proud Boys, the official said.
Shiffer “attempted to breach” the visitor’s screening area at the FBI office at around 9:15 a.m., and fled when agents confronted him, according to federal authorities’ account of the incident. After fleeing onto Interstate 71, he was spotted by a trooper and fired shots as the trooper pursued him, said Lt. Nathan Dennis, an Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesperson, at a press conference.
Law enforcement officers attempted to negotiate with Shiffer, but were unsuccessful.
Officers also attempted to move forward and take him into custody but those efforts were also unsuccessful, Ohio State Highway Patrol officials said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray released the following statement after the attempted breach and fatal standoff:
"Unfounded attacks on the integrity of the FBI erode respect for the rule of law and are a grave disservice to the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect others. Violence and threats against law enforcement, including the FBI, are dangerous and should be deeply concerning to all Americans. Every day I see the men and women of the FBI doing their jobs professionally and with rigor, objectivity, and a fierce commitment to our mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. I am proud to serve alongside them."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.