A gunman was fatally shot by police on Thursday after attempting to break into an FBI building in Cincinnati, Ohio, leading to an exchange of gunfire, Ohio State Highway Patrol said.
“At approximately 3:42 p.m., the suspect raised a firearm and shots were fired by law enforcement officers. The suspect succumbed to fatal injuries on scene,” the highway patrol tweeted.
“Throughout the afternoon troopers and our law enforcement partners attempted to negotiate with the suspect to bring the standoff to a peaceful end,” the patrol added. “Once negotiations failed, officers attempted to take the suspect into custody by utilizing less lethal tactics.”
Just before noon EST, the FBI Cincinnati field office tweeted that an “armed subject” tried to break into the building around 9 a.m. Thursday morning. An alarm and agent response spooked the gunman, the office said, causing him to flee.
“At approximately 9 AM this morning an armed subject attempted to breach the Visitor Screening Facility at #FBI Cincinnati,” the office tweeted. “After an alarm and a response by FBI special agents, the subject fled north onto Interstate 71.”
The Clinton County Emergency Management Agency announced a lockdown for residents and businesses within a one mile radius of the intersection of Smith Road and Center Road after a gunman “traded shots” with law enforcement.
“Residents and businesses in this area should lock their doors and remain vigilant. Law enforcement has traded shots with a male suspect who is wearing a gray shirt and body armor,” the agency posted on Facebook. “Also, Interstate 71 is closed in both directions between the US 68 exit to the north and the SR 73 exit to the south. Additionally, State Route 72 is closed between Mitchell Roads and State Route 380. More information as it becomes available.”
The incident comes just days after FBI agents raided former President Donald Trump’s home in Palm Beach, Florida. Shortly after the unprecedented raid, “Civil War” began trending on Twitter.
The former head of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office said the bureau’s decision to raid Trump’s home Monday evening is “unprecedented” and the “political sensitivities” are clear given that Trump has indicated he plans to run for president again in 2024.
Last week, an internal FBI document revealed that the bureau lists the Betsy Ross American flag, the Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, symbols of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, and other iconic American imagery as symbols of “Militia Violent Extremists” or MVEs.
“Widespread use of symbols and quotes from American history, especially the Revolutionary War, exists within MVE networks,” the document states/ “Historic and contemporary military themes are common for MVE symbols.”
