Armed man attempts to breach FBI office in Cincinnati; shot dead in a standoff

An armed man carrying a rifle and wearing a body armour in Ohio, USA tried to break into the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office buildingin the early hours of Thursday. Reportedly, the suspect attempted to enter the FBI's field office in Cincinnati by breaching the visitor screening facility.

However, after an alarm was raised and the FBI special agents acted quickly, the armed man was forced to flee north onto Interstate 71. Thirty minutes later, an Ohio state trooper spotted the subject and his vehicle at a rest stop.

When the law authorities engaged in a pursuit, the suspect fired a few shots to keep the troopers at bay. However, the police officers kept with him during the chase.

As per reports coming in last, the suspect's vehicle had come to a haltnear Wilmington after exiting State Route 73 and travelling east to Smith Road.

A lockdown has been enforced within a one-mile radius of the standoff scene. Moreover, the two highways near the area have been closed as well to not allow the suspect any chance to escape.

According to police, the public has been instructed to stay indoors and not venture outside till the situation is resolved. Meanwhile,Ohio State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement partners are trying to resolve the 'critical incident', according to an FBI statement.

It is believed that the suspect isarmed with an AR15-style rifle and also had a nail gun with him when he attempted the break-in.

The Cincinnati FBI office took to its official Twitter handle to confirm the news about the rogue element attempting to breach the building.

"At approximately 9 AM this morning an armed subject attempted to breach the Visitor Screening Facility at #FBICincinnati. After an alarm and a response by FBI special agents, the subject fled north onto Interstate 71." tweeted the FBI field office.

The motive of the armed man is still not known and the authorities are yet to confirm if he has been caught or killed in the action.

(UPDATE)

After an hour-long standoff with the police authorities, the armed man, who has been identified asRicky Shiffer, 42 was killed in a rural part of Ohio, according to AP. It has also been revealed that the man was in Washington, near Capitol Hill when the events of January 6, 2021, took place.

Police are trying to ascertain his political ties and if he was a part of far-right groups such as Proud Boys. Shiffer's attempts to breach the FBI's field office comes days after the FBI raided former President Donald Trump's club cum residence in Florida.

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