After an armed and irate citizen tried to breach security at the visitor screening facility of the FBI building in Cincinnati, shooting “a nail gun at law enforcement personnel,” he led cops on a chase. The chase ended in a standoff and exchange of gunfire. Eventually, the suspect was subdued and carried away.
Armed and highly dangerous
Things happened all at once around 9 a.m. on Thursday, August 11, when an armed suspect “attempted to breach the visitor screening facility” of the FBI building in Cincinnati. An alarm went off as the suspect “fired a nail gun at law enforcement personnel,” prompting FBI special agents to respond.
That’s when he started waving an “AR-15 style rifle” around. He managed to get in a vehicle and flee. He went north on I-71.
Ohio State Highway Patrol chased the armed fugitive on over to Clinton County. During the pursuit, deputies noted, “the suspect fired shots from his vehicle.” He eventually exited the highway for a friendly little gun battle with police.
An Ohio emergency management agency said a standoff has ended Thursday between law enforcement and an armed man suspected of trying to breach the FBI’s Cincinnati office. It was unclear how the standoff was resolved. https://t.co/uflHtcTnVL
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 11, 2022
“The suspect and officers exchanged gunfire,” leading to an extended standoff. The gunman was described as a male “wearing a gray shirt and body armor.” They couldn’t get him into custody but at least he was “contained.” They closed three freeways and locked everyone down for the radius of a mile.
Locals residents were asked to remain indoors with their doors locked while law enforcement shot it out with the well armed and armored suspect.
“Numerous” federal, state and local law enforcement agencies were reportedly at on scene with no officers injured. While the standoff was ongoing, Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Pavan Parikh issued a statement.
Go through proper channels
“As many are aware, there was an incident this morning where an armed individual attempted to breach the Cincinnati branch of the FBI,” Parikh began. “It is important to support peaceful disagreement and for the public to go through proper channels to express that disagreement with government institutions.”
His department is responsible for security at the Hamilton County Courthouse. “Along with our partners at the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office, our Criminal Bailiffs keep our judges, clerks, courtroom staff, and the public safe.”
Armed assailants make them nervous. “For that reason, we take any incidence of violence or threats of violence directed against our justice system and the rule of law very seriously.”
Later, Lieutenant Nathan Dennis of the Ohio State Highway Patrol Public Affairs Unit issued a detailed update.
Law enforcement, he relates, “attempted to negotiate with the suspect.” Ultimately, “the negotiations failed.” That’s when “law enforcement started to work toward moving in and taking the suspect into custody.” They tried “less than lethal tactics” which were also unsuccessful. The lethal tactics did the trick.
The armed suspect then raised “a firearm toward law enforcement and shots were fired by law enforcement officers on the scene.” They had better aim than he did. “At that point, the suspect was deceased.” His identity has not yet been revealed.
