The Ohio Highway State Patrol says an armed man trying to break into the FBI’s Cincinnati office was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene, leading to an hour-long standoff.
The Ohio Highway State Patrol says an armed man trying to break into the FBI’s Cincinnati office was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene, leading to an hour-long standoff.
The Ohio Highway State Patrol said an armed man who tried to break into the FBI’s Cincinnati office was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene, leading to an hour-long standoff Thursday afternoon.
Patrol spokesman Lieutenant Nathan Dennis said the man, who could not be identified, was shot at around 3 p.m. after pointing his gun at police.
Officials said the man was wearing body armor and was followed on a highway, then adjacent to woods and farm fields just off I-71, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northeast of Cincinnati. Had left his car on country roads.
Increased threats against federal agents
The confrontation came after officials warned of increased threats against federal agents in the days following. Former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Estate Searched in Florida.
Federal officials said the man “attempted to break into” the visitor’s screening area at the FBI office and fled when agents confronted him. Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesman Lieutenant Nathan Dennis said after fleeing onto Interstate 71, he was spotted by a soldier and opened fire.
The suspect left the interstate north of Cincinnati and left his car on rural roads, where he exchanged gunfire with police. The patrol said the man had “unknown injuries”, but no one else was hurt.
As a helicopter flew over the area, state highway personnel blocked roads leading to the spot. Officials closed a one-mile radius near the interstate and urged residents and business owners to lock doors and stay inside. Interstates have been reopened.
There have been increasing threats in recent days against FBI agents and offices across the country as federal agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. On Gab, a social media site popular among white supremacists and anti-Semitism, users have warned that they are preparing for an armed revolution.
Federal officials are also tracking other related chatter on Gab and other platforms threatening violence against federal agents. FBI Director Christopher Wray condemned the threats while visiting another FBI office in Nebraska on Wednesday.
“Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you are upset with,” Ray said Wednesday in Omaha.
The FBI also warned its agents on Wednesday to avoid protesters and ensure that their security key cards “are not visible outside FBI space,” citing increased social media threats to bureau personnel and facilities. Happened. It also warned agents to be aware of their surroundings and potential protesters.
The warning did not specifically mention this week’s search of Mar-a-Lago, but attributed the online threats to “recent media reporting on FBI investigative activity.”