Armed man killed in standoff after trying to break into FBI Cincinnati headquarters

CLINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX/AP) - An hours-long standoff between law enforcement and an armed suspect who tried to break into Cincinnati FBI headquarters Thursday and then fled, firing shots at state troopers, ended with the suspect’s death, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The man, who has since been identified as 42-year-old Ricky Shiffer, fled the break-in attempt at the FBI office in the northern Hamilton County suburbs, at about 9:15 a.m., according to the patrol and FBI.

He was armed with a nail gun and AR-15 rifle, according to initial emergency communication reports.

Law enforcement officials are investigating whether Shiffer had ties to far-right extremist groups including the Proud Boys, the Associated Press reports, citing an unnamed official.

Shiffer is believed to have been in Washington in the days leading up to Jan. 6, 2021, and may have been present at the U.S. Capitol building on the day of the attack, the AP reports.

An FBI Cincinnati statement late Thursday night called the incident an “agent-involved shooting,” though the jurisdiction of the officer or officers who killed the man remains unclear.

No law enforcement officers or bystanders were hurt.

Law enforcement officials remained on the scene long after the standoff ended, collecting evidence and waiting on a truck to tow the Ford, according to the county’s EMA director.

Shiffer’s body arrived at the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office at about 10 p.m. Thursday, a coroner’s official said.

His autopsy will be performed Friday, they said. Clinton County has a contract with Montgomery County to handle all autopsies, the EMA director tells FOX19 NOW.

FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a statement Thursday after the suspect was killed:

“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.”

Before the standoff, the suspect tried to breach the FBI’s Visitor Screening Facility at its headquarters around 9:15 a.m., the agency said in a tweet.

An alarm went off, prompting armed FBI agents to respond and the suspect fled onto northbound Interstate 71.

Troopers spotted the suspect’s vehicle, a Ford Crown Victoria, in Warren County near a highway rest area at about 9:37 a.m., said Lt. Nathan Dennis, a patrol spokesman.

They tried to pull him over, but at least one gunshot was fired from inside Shiffer’s vehicle as troopers pursued him from behind, Dennis said.

The pursuit continued once Shiffer exited I-71 onto eastbound State Route 73 and then went north on Smith Road, into Clinton County’s Chester Township.

The vehicle passed over I-71 on Smith Road and stopped around 10 a.m. near Van Tress Road.

Shiffer exited the vehicle and exchanged gunshots with officers, Nathan said.

Using the vehicle as a cover, Shiffer continued to hold authorities at bay and the standoff unfolded there in a farm field.

It was about a half-mile from I-71, but authorities shut both sides of the highway down for several hours as a precaution, according to the EMA director, Thomas Breckel.

A lockdown also was in effect within a 1-mile radius of the standoff location.

“Either the gentleman gives up or it’s determined through other means. The suspect is currently in plain view of police. They can still observe him. He is by his vehicle. He has a gray shirt on and body armor. I don’t know if it’s a plate carrier or what,” Breckel told FOX19 NOW during the standoff.

Both sides of I-71 reopened just before the standoff ended as authorities decided it was far enough away from the standoff scene and was not a risk to the public.

OSP and other law enforcement jurisdictions tried to negotiate with Shiffer for hours to bring about a peaceful end, but negotiations failed, according to Nathan.

“Once negotiations failed, officers attempted to take the suspect into custody by utilizing less lethal tactics,” he said. “At approximately 3:42 p.m., the suspect raised a firearm and shots were fired by law enforcement officers.”

The suspect was shot and died from his injuries on the scene.

“The FBI is now reviewing this agent-involved shooting,” the FBI said in a statement late Thursday.

“The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under investigation by the FBI’s Inspection Division. The review process is thorough and objective, and is conducted as expeditiously as possible under the circumstances.”

The FBI is investigating Shiffer’s social media presence and whether he had ties to right-wing extremism, a federal law enforcement source told CNN.

A social media account bearing the name of Ricky Shiffer posted on the social media platform founded by former President Donald Trump, Truth Social, appearing to reference his attempt to storm an FBI office.

The post about the FBI office attack was made minutes after the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the incident at the office in Cincinnati began.

“Well, I thought I had a way through bullet proof glass, and I didn’t,” the user posted at 9:29 a.m. Thursday. “If you don’t hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the F.B.I., and it’ll mean either I was taken off the internet, the F.B.I. got me, or they sent the regular cops while.”

The post stops after, “while.”

Authorities have not yet confirmed that the account belongs to the suspect.

However, a law enforcement source told CNN Thursday night that a photo on the account matched a government ID photo of the suspect.

“People, this is it,” the user wrote after the FBI searched former President Donald Trump’s home earlier this week. “I hope a call to arms comes from someone better qualified, but if not, this is your call to arms from me.

In that post, the user encouraged people to go to gun and pawn shops to, “get whatever you need to be ready for combat.”

When another person responded to the user saying that they would be sending his photo and information to the FBI, the user responded by saying, “Bring them on.”

The user wrote that people were heading to gather in Palm Beach and if the FBI broke up the group, “kill them.”

The user of the account also claimed they were present in Washington, DC, on January 6, but did not say whether they entered the Capitol.

Truth Social currently has no account now for “@rickywshifferjr.”

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AP contributed to this report.