An armed man in a bulletproof vest attempted to break into the FBI’s Cincinnati, Ohio, office on Wednesday, US intelligence confirmed. He died after police opened fire on him. It concerns a man who participated in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, US media report.
The man fled when the alarm went off and FBI agents moved. He was spotted by a police officer on the highway. He gave chase and came under fire, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Roads were then closed for several hours.
The man hid in a cornfield and police officers tried to negotiate with the suspect. They then tried in vain to take him into custody. When the suspect raised his gun, officers fired at him, police said. He died of his injuries.
Further details and the suspect’s motive are unclear, but report based on anonymous sources NBC News and The New York Times Ricky Walter Shiffer, a 42-year-old man who took part in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
On one of his alleged social media accounts, Shiffer posted a message earlier this week threatening to kill some FBI employees. The message came a few days after the FBI searched the home of former President Donald Trump for withheld documents.
“Unwarranted attacks on the integrity of the FBI undermine respect for the rule of law and do a particularly disservice to the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect others,” tweeted FBI Director Christopher Wray. He argues that all Americans should be concerned about the dangerous violence and threats against law enforcement, including the FBI.