US: Police shoot dead armed man attempting to break into FBI office in Ohio

In the US, police fatally shot a gunman, identified as Ricky Shiffer, who tried to breach the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office in Ohio. The armed man was killed after an hours-long standoff with police personnel. However, the chase ensued after the alleged perpetrator pointed a gun toward police officers in close proximity outside the federal office in Cincinnati office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said during a press briefing on Thursday.

Schiffer allegedly possessed an AR15-style rifle and brandished a nail gun to infringe the FBI field office, multiple reports stated. It was not immediately clear as to why Schiffer wanted to force enter the FBI field office. However, it comes at a time when FBI officials, including chief Christian Wray, are facing amped-up death threats from former US President Donald Trump's supporters for raising his Florida residence.

The state police also tried to reach a negotiation with Schiffer, about which he showed no sign to give in. According to ABC News, the 42-year-old also tried to flout the police orders. Around 9:30 am Thursday morning the on-duty officers began pursuing the suspect after he allegedly escaped from the field office in a Ford Crown Victoria.

Schiffer was then encircled in a cornfield off Interstate Highway 71 near Wilmington. The shots were fired near Clinton County after the troopers followed Schiffer from the FBI office, which first hit him in the leg, keeping him mobile. He was shot dead around 3:40 pm after a fierce round of gun battle on both sides. Schiffer has not been identified yet with a previous criminal record. The operation "ended" around 4:30 pm after he was pronounced dead on spot.

FBI launches investigation into a shooting incident

The FBI late on Thursday issued a statement revealing that they have launched an investigation into the agent-involved shooting 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," the statement said, as quoted by ABC News.

FBI chief breaks silence on death threats after Mar-a-Lago raid

FBI director Christopher Wray on Wednesday deplored the threats emerging online to his agency after the feds conducted a search operation on former US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this week. Speaking at a presser in Omaha, Nebraska, Wray described the violent rhetoric against law enforcers from Trump supporters as reprehensible and "dangerous." Addressing a forum on the FBI''s focus on Cybersecurity he briefly added, "I'm always concerned about the threats to law enforcement. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer no matter who you are upset with. It is deplorable and dangerous," as quoted by the Associated Press.

(Image: AP (representative)