Authorities said an armed man in body armor attempted to break into the FBI’s Cincinnati office on Thursday.
The suspect attempted to break into the visitor screening facility around 9 a.m. at the bureau’s field office in Cincinnati, The FBI said in a tweet. After the alarm went off and agents responded, the suspect fled north onto Interstate 71.
Ohio State Highway Patrol soldiers pursued the suspect in armor and a gray shirt as he fled in a Crown Victoria, Thomas Breckle, director of the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency said. Breckle said officers traded guns with the suspect as he drove away. Officials said some areas of the interstate were closed.
The Clinton County Emergency Management Department issued a lockdown for all buildings within a one-mile radius of the area and instructed residents and business owners to lock their doors and stay inside.
The incident comes a day after the FBI director warned of widespread threats online against agents and the Justice Department after the agency raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. Trump.
“Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you’re upset with,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday in Omaha.
On Wednesday, the FBI cited increased social media threats as it warned agents to avoid protesters and ensure their secure keycards were not seen outside the FBI’s space.
Contribution: Associated Press
