Cincinnati FBI field office attack
Part of terrorism in the United States
Cincinnati FBI field office in Ohio, 2020
LocationKenwood, Ohio
Coordinates39°12′01″N 84°22′19″W / 39.20025°N 84.37203°W / 39.20025; -84.37203
DateAugust 11, 2022
9:15 a.m. (UTC−05:00)
TargetThe FBI's Cincinnati field office
Attack type
Attempted mass shooting
Weapons
Deaths1 (the perpetrator)
Injured0
PerpetratorRicky Walter Shiffer

On August 11, 2022, Ricky Walter Shiffer, a 42-year-old man, attempted to breach the FBI's Cincinnati field office in Ohio, United States. Shiffer was wearing body armor and armed with an AR-15 style rifle and a nail gun during the attack. He fled the scene after being confronted and travelled to a nearby cornfield. A six-hour standoff with police ensued that ended when officers fatally shot Shiffer.

Prior to the attempted breach, Shiffer had taken part in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, and after the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, he posted on Truth Social about his desire to kill FBI agents.[1][2][3]

Background

On August 8, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, the personal residence of former U.S. president Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida. The search, which included opening a safe owned by Trump,[4] focused on material Trump brought to Mar-a-Lago after he left the White House, which allegedly contains classified documents.[5] Trump was at Trump Tower in New York City during the search.[6][7]

Attack

At 9:15 a.m. on August 11, 2022, Shiffer attempted to breach the visitor screening facility of the FBI's Cincinnati field office in Kenwood, Ohio. While doing so, he fired a nail gun at law enforcement personnel and held up an AR-15 style rifle, causing an alarm to go off. Shiffer then fled to his vehicle and headed north onto Interstate 71, leading the Ohio State Highway Patrol on a pursuit across three counties.[8]

At 9:29 a.m., Schiffer published an incomplete post on his Truth Social account @RickyWShifferJr.[9]

Well, I thought I had a way through bullet proof glass, and I didn't. 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...

During the pursuit, Schiffer exchanged multiple shots with the pursuing troopers. Schiffer eventually exited the highway onto State Route 73 and traveled east to Smith Road in Clinton County before stopping and beginning a standoff with the police.[10]

After fleeing to a nearby cornfield in Clinton County, Ohio, Shiffer engaged in a standoff with police that lasted for six hours. During the standoff, Shiffer and officers unsuccessfully fired shots at each other. Police attempted to negotiate with him, but Shiffer refused to surrender.[11]

As a precaution, Ohio Department of Transportation employees blocked off nearby roads within a radius of one mile (1.6 km), including Interstate 71.[8] In Clinton County officials issued a lock down for residents and businesses within a one-mile radius of the intersection of Smith and Center roads.[12] An Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter circled the scene.[13]

At 3:45 p.m., police made an attempt to take Shiffer into custody. Shiffer then raised his gun at officers and was shot dead.[14]

Perpetrator

Ricky Shiffer was a 42-year-old Navy veteran at the time of the attack. He had lived in Columbus, Ohio prior to the attack and had previously lived in Omaha, Nebraska and St. Petersburg, Florida.[15] During his time in the Navy he had top secret clearance and had been assigned to the USS Columbia (SSN-771) after enlisting in June 1998, where he was in charge of overseeing missile and torpedo equipment. He had been known to the FBI after being identified as a participant in the Capitol attack during January 6, 2021, although at the time it was determined that the gathered information showed no specific or credible threat.[16]

Aftermath

The FBI said they were tracking violent threats made against federal agents on Gab and other social media platforms.[17]

Interstate 71 was reopened several hours after Shiffer was killed.[18]

Reactions

FBI Director Christopher A. Wray released a statement saying that violence and threats against law enforcement are dangerous and should be deeply concerning to all Americans.[19]

Liz Cheney, the Republican congresswoman representing Wyoming's at-large congressional district, said that she was ashamed to hear that members of her party were attacking the integrity of the FBI agents involved with the recent Mar-a-Lago search.[20] Elaine Luria, the Democratic congresswoman representing Virginia's 2nd congressional district, condemned the attempted breach and recent attacks on federal law enforcement.[21]

Qasim Rashid, an American author and human rights lawyer, said that people like Shiffer had been radicalized by events like the Conservative Political Action Conference, which had recently used the slogan "We Are All Domestic Terrorists" to mock accusations of extremism.[22] Seth Abramson, an author and attorney, blamed the leaders of the Republican Party for being complicit with incidents of stochastic terrorism.[23]

Charlie Kirk, the conservative founder of Turning Point USA, said that violence against law enforcement should not be tolerated but also criticized the FBI for "playing victim" after raiding Donald Trump's house, which he referred to as a military occupation.[24]

References

  1. ↑ Collins, Ben; Reilly, Ryan J.; Abbruzzese, Jason; Dienst, Jonathan (August 11, 2022). "Man who fired nail gun at FBI building called for violence on Truth Social in days after Mar-a-Lago search". NBC News. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  2. ↑ Campbell, Josh; Gingras, Brynn; Murphy, Paul P.; Andone, Dakin (August 11, 2022). "An armed suspect who tried to enter the FBI's Cincinnati office is dead after standoff with authorities, officials say". CNN. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  3. ↑ Murphy, Paul P.; Campbell, Josh; Gingras, Brynn (August 12, 2022). "Account bearing name of suspect in Ohio standoff with FBI posted on Trump social media platform and encouraged violence against the agency". CNN. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Trump Says the FBI Raided Mar-a-Lago and Broke Into His Safe". New York. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  5. ↑ Haberman, Maggie; Protess, Ben; Goldman, Adam (August 8, 2022). "F.B.I. Searches Trump's Home in Florida". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  6. ↑ Haberman, Maggie (August 8, 2022). "Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago when the search took place". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  7. ↑ Haroun, Azmi (August 8, 2022). "Trump was perched in Trump Tower as he decried 'unauthorized raid on my home' at Mar-a-Lago resort: CNN". Business Insider. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Weiter, Taylor (August 13, 2022). "Man who tried to break into FBI Cincinnati office called for agents to be killed 'on sight,' reports say". WCPO. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  9. ↑ Harwell, Drew; Kornfield, Meryl (August 12, 2022). "FBI attacker was prolific contributor to Trump's Truth Social website". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  10. ↑ Campbell, Josh; Gingras, Brynn; Murphy, Paul P.; Wolfe, Elizabeth (August 13, 2022). "FBI shooting: Man accused of attacking Ohio field office already known to authorities before attack". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ Czachor, Emily Mae; Jones, Zoe Christen (August 12, 2022). "Suspect killed in standoff after alleged attempt to breach FBI office in Cincinnati". CBS News. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  12. ↑ Weingartner, Tana; Rinehart, Bill; Costello, Becca (August 11, 2022). "Police standoff near Wilmington is over following incident at Cincinnati FBI office, suspect dead". WVXU. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  13. ↑ Welsh-Huggins, Andrew; Orsagos, Patrick (August 11, 2022). "Man who tried to breach FBI office killed after standoff". Associated Press. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  14. ↑ Lindgren, Todd (August 12, 2022). "FBI Cincinnati Statement: Updated Statement August 12, 2022". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  15. ↑ Dykes, Todd (August 12, 2022). "Man who attempted to breach Cincinnati's FBI office had volatile, combative online presence". WLWT. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ Zavarise, Isabella (August 13, 2022). "Gunman who was killed after trying to enter the Cincinnati FBI office was a Navy veteran with top secret clearance. He was also at the Capitol riot". Business Insider. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Armed man who tried to 'breach' FBI office in Ohio killed in standoff with US police". ABC News. August 11, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  18. ↑ Bredderman, William; Fiallo, Josh (August 11, 2022). "Armed Man Who Stormed FBI Office Said He Wanted 'War' After Mar-a-Lago Raid". The Daily Beast. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  19. ↑ Wray, Christopher A. (August 11, 2022). "Statement from Director Wray". Washington, D.C.: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  20. ↑ Cheney, Liz [@RepLizCheney] (August 11, 2022). "I have been ashamed to hear members of my party attacking the integrity of the FBI agents involved with the recent Mar-a-Lago search. These are sickening comments that put the lives of patriotic public servants at risk" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Twitter.
  21. ↑ Luria, Elaine [@RepElaineLuria] (August 11, 2022). "Any attack on law enforcement is unacceptable, and recent attacks on the men and women serving in federal law enforcement are despicable. I strongly condemn the attempted breach of the FBI's office in Cincinnati, and I am praying for the safety of our officers and agents" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ↑ Rashid, Qasim [@QasimRashid] (August 11, 2022). "BREAKING: In a 6 hour gun fight, Police have killed the terrorist who attacked the FBI in Cincinnati. His name is Ricky Walter Shiffer, he's a MAGA Trumper, & he was a Jan 6 insurrectionist. No need to wonder where he was radicalized—a reminder of the CPAC banner a few days ago" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ Abramson, Seth [@SethAbramson] (August 11, 2022). "You did this, @GOPLeader and @GOPChairwoman and @GOP. And you did it with your eyes open. Stochastic terrorism is real, and you are complicit in it" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Twitter.
  24. ↑ "Charlie Kirk responds to alleged attack on Cincinnati FBI office: 'They're now going to try to play the victim'". Media Matters. August 11, 2022.
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