Correction: A prior edition of this post listed the incorrect location of the FBI facility. The facility is in Kenwood. This error has been corrected.
CLINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN) – A man is dead after he allegedly tried to break into an FBI building in Kenwood, leading to a standoff in Clinton County.
According to NBC News, the suspect was Ricky Walter Shiffer. He was at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
The Cincinnati Division of the FBI said around 9:15 a.m. an armed suspect, later identified as Shiffer, attempted to breach the Visitor Screening Facility. An alarm was activated, and armed FBI agents responded. The suspect then fled the scene, heading north on I-71.
The FBI notified the Ohio State Highway Patrol about the suspect, and gave them a description of his vehicle.
Shiffer was later spotted by the patrol and troopers attempted a traffic stop. The suspect refused to pull over and instead lead the troopers on a chase onto State Route 73 and Smith Road. According to OSHP, the suspect fired shots at the pursuing troopers.
The suspect came to a stop on Smith Road off State Route 73. Shots were fired between the suspect and officers, which then started a standoff.
“Those negotiations went on,” OSHP Lt. Nathan Dennis said. “Over time, they eventually failed and were unsuccessful. So that time officers tried to move in, using less lethal tactics to take the suspect into custody. The suspect then raised the firearm for the enforcement and that’s when the shots were fired at the suspect.”
OSHP said officers returned fire around 3:42 p.m., and Shiffer died at the scene. No officers were injured in the incident.
Officers from the FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies were at the scene.
I-71 was shut down in both directions from State Route 73 to State Route 68, our NBC partners at WLWT report. State Route 73 is also closed between Mitchell Road and State Route 480.
All the buildings within a one-mile radius of Smith and Center roads were under lockdown and residents were asked to stay inside their homes.
The FBI released the following statement Thursday night, saying they are reviewing the incident:
The FBI is now reviewing this agent-involved shooting. 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.
FBI Cincinnati Division
2 NEWS spoke with the manager of the Shell and BP gas stations off State Route 73. He said some of his employees were there when the chase took place outside his stores.
“This is a very peaceful town, so seeing something like this is very, very unusual,” Mit Patel said.
Patel said traffic was stopped outside his business for about two hours. He said his employees were shaken by the incident, and now his priority is to make sure they are OK.
“I’m going to spend a few more hours, a few extra days with them, make sure they’re comfortable back to the work,” Patel said.
Stay with 2 NEWS as we continue to update this breaking story
