Ohio FBI shooting - latest: ‘Violent extremist’ Ricky Shiffer investigated for months after Jan 6

Cincinnati shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer was shot dead by police on the side of an interstate highway hours after he attempted to breach a visitor’s entrance at an FBI field office in the city.

The 42-year-old, of Columbus, Ohio, fled the scene of the attempted attack on Thursday morning before a standoff and shootout took place hours later. The FBI confirmed his death at 3.45pm following an exchange of gunfire.

Officials are investigating Shiffer’s ties to the US Capitol riot and right wing extremism as he appears to have claimed that he was present in Washington on 6 January on Truth Social, a pro-Trump social media site.

Federal agents were already looking into Shiffer’s ties to the Capitol attack before the FBI standoff, the New York Times reports.

Shiffer also appeared to support Donald Trump’s unfounded claims of a stolen election in 2020 and responded to social media posts by pro-Trump figures such as congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump Jr.

His social media posts made reference to the FBI’s search at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Monday.

Key points

• Armed man who threatened FBI office in Ohio shot by police

• Dramatic shoot-out and car chase after FBI office threatened

• FBI probing Ohio shooter’s social media presence, ties to right-wing extremism

• Will Merrick Garland address Ohio FBI standoff?

• Former agent warns of copycat attacks on FBI

Thursday 11 August 2022 19:01 , Josh Marcus

Live coverage of the Ohio standoff

Thursday 11 August 2022 19:02 , Josh Marcus

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the ongoing police standoff in Ohio, which comes as an armed man allegedly threatened an FBI office in Cincinnati.

Dramatic shoot-out after armed man threatened FBI office in Ohio and led police on car chase

Thursday 11 August 2022 19:03 , Josh Marcus

There’s an ongoing standoff in Ohio after an armed man made threats at an FBI office in Cincinnati and led police on a car chase.

NBC News reporter Ken Dilanian said on MSNBC that “a man entered ... and fired a nail gun at law enforcement ... The man then held up an AR-15 style rifle before fleeing in a vehicle”.

He added: “A pursuit then occurred … Then the suspect got out of the car and there was a standoff.”

The Wilmington News Journal reported that police scanner traffic updates from the incident said that at 10am, the suspect, described as bald and wearing sunglasses, entered a cornfield and aimed a pistol at police, prompting law enforcement to set up a perimeter.

Gustaf Kilander is following this breaking news story.

Shoot-out after armed man threatened FBI office in Ohio and led police on car chase

Farmer says he’s watching Ohio FBI standoff ‘from top of the grain bin’

Thursday 11 August 2022 19:22 , Josh Marcus

Details are still emerging about a massive law enforcement standoff in Ohio involving a man who allegedly threatened an FBI field office.

The FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and local police have all converged on a cornfield near Wilmington, Ohio, and surrounded the alleged assailant.

Livestock farmer Bryan Vaughan of Wilmington wrote on Twitter on Thursday’s he can see at least 40 police vehicles from the top of his grain bin.

Will Merrick Garland address Ohio FBI standoff?

Thursday 11 August 2022 19:43 , Josh Marcus

Attorney General Merrick Garland is expected to offer remarks today about the recent FBI raid at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club and residence in Florida.

The top Justice Department official may also offer new information about the ongoing standoff in Ohio involving a man who allegedly threatened an FBI field office in Cincinnati.

Eric Garcia has more on what to expect from the AG.

Merrick Garland to give a statement on Trump Mar-a-Lago raid

Traffic on I-71 back open as suspect ‘contained’ in cornfield: officials

Thursday 11 August 2022 19:53 , Josh Marcus

The armed man suspected of threatening an Ohio FBI office is still hiding out in a cornfield, according to local officials.

The Clinton County Emergency Management Agency said on Thursday afternoon that the “suspect has not yet been taking into custody, but is contained,” after numerous law enforcement officers surrounded the field.

Traffic on I-71, temporarily shut down for security reasons, is now back open in both directions.

Merrick Garland speaking in Washington

Thursday 11 August 2022 20:08 , Josh Marcus

Attorney General Merrick Garland is now speaking in Washington, DC.

He’s expected to mostly address the recent search at Donald Trump’s Florida residence, but we’ll keep an eye out for any updates on the Ohio standoff.

WATCH: Ohio officials provide update on armed standoff

Thursday 11 August 2022 20:25 , Josh Marcus

Ohio officials are engaged in an ongoing standoff with an individual who allegedly threatened an FBI field office in Cincinnati this morning.

Here’s their latest update.

Suspect was driving Ford Crown Victor and fired gunshot

Thursday 11 August 2022 20:50 , Josh Marcus

The Ohio State Police came close to nabbing the individual who allegedly threatened an FBI office in Cincinnati today.

State troopers located the individual’s vehicle, a Ford Crown Victoria, near a rest area on Interstate 71 at approximately 9.37am, the agency said on Thursday.

Upon seeing officers, “the suspect fled and a pursuit ensued.”

As troopers chased the man, a suspected gun shot was fired inside the car.

Eventually, the alleged assailant ditched his car and ran into a cornfield near Wilmington, Ohio, exchanging gunfire with officers and sustaining unknown injuries.

Ex-FBI official fears Ohio attack could act as a rallying cry for ‘other unhinged’ people

Thursday 11 August 2022 21:10 , Josh Marcus

An assault on the FBI’s Cincinnati headquarters could act as a rallying cry for other “unhinged” people to launch copycat attacks, a former top agent has warned.

Authorities said a man armed with an assault rifle and wearing body armour tried to breach the Ohio field office on Thursday, before sparking a stand-off after fleeing towards a highway.

Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe told CNN on Thursday it was “coincidental” that the attack on an FBI field office came so soon after the search warrant was executed on Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.

Mr McCabe said the attacks endangered lives and called on Justice Department leaders to address the “overheated rhetoric ... that has literally created the threat towards members of the department”.

Bevan Hurley has the story for The Independent.

Ex-FBI official fears Ohio attack could act as a rallying cry for ‘unhinged’ people

Die-hard Trump fans claim Ohio FBI shootout is a ‘false flag’ attack

Thursday 11 August 2022 21:25 , Josh Marcus

Well, that didn’t take long.

The diehard Donald Trump fans on r/TheDonald, a popular (and often NSFW) Reddit page, are claiming that the armed threats against an FBI field office in Ohio today were “staged.”

As NBC News reporter Ben Collins reports, nearly “every top post” on the page at the moment has some version of the conspiracy theory.

Speculation about the FBI has been flying in conservative circles since the Justice Department raid on Donald Trump earlier this week.

Trumpworld informant reportedly told FBI about classified docs at Mar-a-Lago

Witness describes watching FBI chase armed assailant

Friday 12 August 2022 01:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Farmer Rob Thompson was stunned this morning as a blazing police chase sped past his farm in Wilmington, Ohio.

“I thought, since we are by the interstate, that they were just chasing a speeder,” Mr Thompson told The New York Times.

But it was far from just a speeder. Instead, officers are still in pursuit of an armed man who allegedly threatened an FBI office in Cincinnati this morning.

The farmer said he wasn’t worried for his safety.

“He could be in the cornfield or a thicket of trees nearby, but they have him contained,” he continued.

Standoff with man who threatened FBI has ‘ended’: officials

Friday 12 August 2022 02:03 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: The hours-long standoff on Thursday between Ohio police and an armed man accused of threatening a Cincinnati FBI office has ended, according to county officials.

The Clinton County Emergency Management Agency announced that “law enforcement operations and response has ended. Some operations will continue on-scene,” in a terse update on Thursday evening.

It’s unclear whether the individual was arrested, killed, or otherwise.

Standoff over as Ohio officials probe whether man who threatened FBI had Jan 6 ties: officials

Friday 12 August 2022 03:08 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: An hourslong standoff between Ohio police and an armed man accused of threatening a Cincinnati FBI field office on Thursday has come to an end, according to local officials.

“Law enforcement operations and response has ended,” Clinton County Emergency Management Agency announced on Thursday.

It’s unclear whether the individual—who allegedly fired a nail gun and brandished an assault rifle at FBI agents, and later shot at police—has been arrested, killed, or otherwise.

Police are now probing whether the man, unofficially identified by two anonymous law enforcement sources in The New York Times as Ricky Shiffer, 42, has any ties to the January 6 attacks on the US Capitol in 2021.

Social media accounts appearing to belong to the man indicate he was present in Washington on 5 and 6 January for pro-Trump demonstrations, and claimed to have been present at the storming of the Capitol.

More details to come on this breaking news story.

Standoff over as Ohio officials probe if man who threatened FBI had Jan 6 ties

Armed man who threatened FBI office in Ohio shot by police

Friday 12 August 2022 04:03 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Police have shot and killed Ricky Shiffer, 42, an armed man who threatened an Ohio FBI office on Thursday morning, leading to a prolonged car chase and standoff throughout the day.

Here’s the Ohio State Patrol announcing what happened.

FBI probing Ohio shooter’s social media presence, ties to right-wing extremism - Report

Friday 12 August 2022 04:46 , Arpan Rai

FBI investigators are probing Ohio shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer’s presence on social media platforms, and whether he had any links with right-wing extremism, CNN reported, citing a source.

The officials are also looking into whether the suspect had any connection with any of the groups involved in the Capitol riots and if he was himself involved in the violent attack, reported CNN citing a separate federal law enforcement source.

According to a Truth Social account reported to belong to the shooting suspect, Shiffer referred to making an attempt to storm an FBI office and also urged others online to brace for a war for revolution, the report added.

Ricky Shiffer: Everything we know about Ohio gunman who attacked FBI

Friday 12 August 2022 04:58 , Arpan Rai

Ohio native Ricky Shiffer was shot and killed by the law enforcement officers on Thursday afternoon after he launched an attack on an FBI field office in Cincinnati.

The 42-year-old suspect was armed with a nail gun and an assualt rifle.

Resident of Columbus, Shiffer had reportedly posted a string of violent remarks on his social media account on Truth Social in the recent months leading to the attack.

Josh Marcus reports:

Who is Ricky Shiffer, the Trump-supporting Ohio gunman who attacked the FBI?

Police identify man who threatened Ohio FBI office

Friday 12 August 2022 05:11 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Officials have identified Ricky Shiffer, 42, as the armed man who threatened the Cincinnati field office of the FBI.

Officers shot and killed Shiffer after a prolonged standoff in a cornfield near Wilmington, Ohio.

Police reportedly tried to negotiate with the individual and use non-lethal tactics to arrest him, before the 42-year-old raised a gun at officers and was killed, the Ohio State Patrol said.

Ricky Shiffer being labeled ‘suspected domestic violent extremist’

Friday 12 August 2022 05:52 , Arpan Rai

Ohio shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer is being labeled as a “suspected domestic violent extremist”, authorities have reportedly said.

The report by ABC’s chief investigative reporter Josh Margolin on Frida cited law enforcements officials who have been briefed on the probe.

Shiffer, who was shot dead by the FBI, allegedly threatened the investigative agency’s office in Cincinnati on Thursday around 9am, firing a nail gun at staff and brandishing an AR-15-style rifle, before driving away.

FBI director calls attack on Ohio agents ‘deeply concerning'

Friday 12 August 2022 06:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: FBI Director Christopher Wray called Thursday’s attack on an Ohio FBI office “deeply concerning.”

“Violence and threats against law enforcement, including the FBI, are dangerous and should be deeply concerning to all Americans,” Mr Wray wrote in a statement to NBC News. “Every day I see the men and women of the FBI doing their jobs professionally and with rigor, objectivity, and a fierce commitment to our mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution.”

Ohio shooter posted on Trump’s Truth Social during attack

Friday 12 August 2022 06:49 , Arpan Rai

A suspected social media account of the Ohio shooter Ricky Shiffer made a reference to storming an FBI office while the attack was underway on Thursday.

“Well, I thought I had a way through bullet proof glass, and I didn’t,” the user posted on Donald Trump’s social media platform Truth Social at 9.29am, NBC News reported.

Shiffer added: “If you don’t hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the FBI, and it’ll mean either I was taken off the internet, the FBI got me, or they sent the regular cops while.”

The suspect fled in a car and was later “contained” by police on the I-71 highway. The social media accounts have not yet been confirmed by officials as belonging to Shiffer.

FBI search at Mar-a-Lago may have triggered Ohio shooter

Friday 12 August 2022 07:53 , Arpan Rai

The Ohio shooting suspect had increased his social media activity in response to the FBI’s search at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, even calling for “war” after the investigative agency’s search at the former president’s Florida residence-turned-club earlier this week.

“People, this is it. I hope a call to arms comes from someone better qualified, but if not, this is your call to arms from me,” the user named rickywshifferjr wrote on Truth Social on Monday, after the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago was reported.

He called on people to leave work tomorrow, grab “whatever you need to be ready for combat” from army stores, gun shops, pawn shops “as soon as” they open and added that this time we must respond with force.

FBI’s response to Ohio shooting: ‘Investigating agent-involved shooting'

Friday 12 August 2022 09:27 , Arpan Rai

The FBI Cincinnati has said it is reviewing the incident of an active shooter outside the building on Thursday which included federal agents.

“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 throrough and objective, and is conducted as expeditiously as possible under the circumstances,” it said in a statement on Friday morning.

It is also reported to have deployed a Shooting Incident Review Team to the scene, as part of standard practice when an FBI special agent or task force officer discharges a weapon.

The FBI’s review team will work to gather more evidence and interview witnesses to find out if the incident demanded the use of deadly force and if it was justified, reported CNN.

Gunman may have left farewell message on Trump’s social platform

Friday 12 August 2022 10:29 , Gino Spocchia

ICYMI: Social media accounts appearing to belong to the Ohio shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer indicate he was present in Washington, DC, on 5 and 6 January for pro-Trump demonstrations in 2021, and claimed to have been present at the storming of the Capitol itself.

“I was there,” a Twitter account with the name Ricky Shiffer wrote, replying to a picture of rioters climbing into the Capitol.

An account on Truth Social, Donald Trump’s conservative social network, also appears to belong to Shiffer.

Read the full story here:

Gunman killed in shootout may have left farewell message on Trump’s social platform

Attack could lead to others, former agent warns

Friday 12 August 2022 11:26 , Gino Spocchia

The attack on the FBI’s Cincinnati headquarters by a lone shooter could act as a rallying cry for other “unhinged” people to launch similar assaults, a former top agent has warned.

Speaking to CNN on Thursday, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe said it was “coincidental” that the attack on an FBI field office came in the aftermath of an FBI search on Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.

The suspect in the Cincinnati shoot-out, Ricky Shiffer, suggested on social media that he had attended the 6 January Capitol riot in support of the former president’s stolen election lies and was planning on carrying out the attack on the FBI office following the search on Mar-a-Lago, reports say.

Bevan Hurley has more:

Ex-FBI official fears Ohio attack could act as a rallying cry for ‘unhinged’ people

Suspect called for “1775” as “solution” in reply to Marjorie Taylor Greene

Friday 12 August 2022 12:24 , Gino Spocchia

Social media accounts thought to belong to FBI shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer have come under scrutiny since his death on Thursday following a shoot-out with officers and an attempted attack on the bureau’s office in Cincinnati.

One tweet seen by NBC News suggested that in May, Shiffer responded to a tweet by pro-Trump congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene by referencing the need for a repeat of “1775” – in apparent reference to the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

Shiffer reportedly wrote: “Congresswoman Greene, they got away with fixing elections in plain sight. It’s over. The next step is the one we used in 1775.”

Ms Greene had tweeted: “I know they are trying 1984, but I’m feeling 2016 vibes”. Those comments were in apparent reference to false claims made by Donald Trump that Democrats stole the 2020 US election.

Shoot-out under investigation, FBI says

Friday 12 August 2022 13:20 , Gino Spocchia

In an updated statement on Thursday night, the FBI field office in Cincinnati said it “takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or their task-force members seriously” and that the the FBI’s Inspection Division was now probing the shoot-out between officers and suspect Ricky Shiffer.

The agency confirmed that Shiffer was shot dead by officers at about 3.45pm on Thursday, who also fired weapons.

Shiffer had earlier tried to breach the visitor entrance to the FBI office in Cincinnati before fleeing in his vehicle along the interstate 71 highway, where was spotted by Ohio State Highway Patrol and “contained”.

FBI issued warning on Wednesday to employees about threats

Friday 12 August 2022 14:20 , Gino Spocchia

On Wednesday, the FBI had warned its officers to avoid potential protesters and to ensure their security key cards were “not visible outside FBI space” because of an increase in threats shared online, the Associated Press reported.

While the internal warning to FBI employees did not specifically mention the search of Mar-a-Lago, the bureau attributed the online threats to “recent media reporting on FBI investigative activity.”

On Gab, a social media site popular with white supremacists, users have reportedly been warning that they were preparing for an armed revolution following the FBI’s execution of a search warrant on Donald Tump’s Florida home.

The search is believed to be part of an investigation into possible wrongdoing over classified White House documents taken to Mar-a-Lago.

Friday 12 August 2022 15:00 , Gino Spocchia

On the same day FBI shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer responded to a tweet by congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in May, the Ohio man also responded to a post by the former US president’s eldest son with another apparently veiled threat.

“Do not comply,” Shiffer reportedly tweeted in response to a post by Donald Trump Jr telling his followers to “Get ready” because “the midterm variant (of COVID-19) is coming and it’s going to be really scary”.

A NBC News reported of the Twitter posts, the remarks by Mr Trump Jr were in an apparent reference to fringe conspiracy theories about the disease and were unfounded.

Negotiations with shooter failed, officials said

Friday 12 August 2022 15:50 , Gino Spocchia

ICYMI: Suspect shooter Ricky Shiffer fled the FBI field office in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was shot following failed negotiations with multiple law enforcement agencies.

Lt Nathan Dennis, of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, said negotiations with the suspect failed along the I-71 highway and that police had tried “less lethal tactics” before gunfire was exchanged.

There were no other injuries and it was unclear if the suspect had said anything to officers during the standoff, which came after Shiffer was accused of trying to break into the FBI’s field office in Cincinnati.

Suspect seen in January 6 photos, law enforcement say

Friday 12 August 2022 16:30 , Gino Spocchia

Although Ohio shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer was believed to have tweeted about attending the US Capitol on January 6, it remains unclear if he did enter the building.

As The New York Times reported on Thursday, a tweet by an account thought to being to Shiffer claimed in May: “ I was there. We watched as your goons did that.”

The tweet had been in response to a photo of rioters climbing the walls of the Capitol Building, and was among multiple posts with pro-Trump messaging.

Officials told reporters following the attack on an FBI office that the 42-year-old had not been charged in connection with the riot, although law enforcement had seen the Columbus, Ohio, resident in photos from the riot, NBC News reported.

Shiffer a ‘suspected domestic violent extremist’

Friday 12 August 2022 16:58 , Gino Spocchia

Ricky Shiffer has been considered a “suspected domestic violent extremist” by investigators, law enforcement officials were reported as saying on Friday.

An official told ABC News that Shiffer was being investigated as a “suspected domestic violent extremist” and that his social media history was under investigation following the attack on an FBI office on Thursday.

The report cited his social media posts on Twitter and Truth Social, the platform set-up by Donald Trump after leaving office.

Heres more:

Ohio FBI suspect considered possible ‘violent extremist’, report says

Suspect was armed with AR-15 rifle, officials say

Friday 12 August 2022 17:40 , Gino Spocchia

Suspect Ricky Shiffer was armed with a nail gun and an AR-15-style rifle when he tried to breach the visitor screening area at the FBI office Thursday, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press.

Earlier reports said Shiffer had fired a nail gun at the FBI office in Cincinnati, Ohio, before attempting to breach the visitor screening area of the building.

He then fled when agents confronted him, and was later shot dead during a standoff involving FBI agents and Ohio State Highway Patrol.

AR-15’s are a semi-automatic weapon that have been heavily criticised amid a series of mass shootings in the US this year, including at a 4 July parade and in schools.

Think tank considers motivation for Cincinnati attack

Friday 12 August 2022 18:20 , Gino Spocchia

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank that monitors extremism and online hate speech, has said in a briefing that that social media posts allegedly belonging to suspect Ricky Shiffer showed he was likely “motivated by a combination of conspiratorial beliefs related to former President Trump and the 2020 election (among others)”.

The think tank added that he also appeared to show “interest in killing federal law enforcement” following the FBI’s execution of a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago this week.

Suspect was registered Republican, records show

Friday 12 August 2022 19:00 , Gino Spocchia

Public records show that Ohio FBI attack suspect Ricky Shiffer was a registered Republican who voted in the 2020 primary and general election from Ohio and Oklahoma.

The 42-year-old, who social media posts appeared to show was an ardent support of Donald Trump, also appears in court records in Ohio following a lawsuit filed by the Ohio Department of Taxation.

Josh Marcus has more:

Who is Ricky Shiffer, the Trump-supporting Ohio gunman who attacked the FBI?

Republican minority House whip condemned for FBI criticism

Friday 12 August 2022 19:40 , Gino Spocchia

House minority whip Steve Scalise has come under fire on social media for labelling the FBI agents who searched Mar-a-Lago as “rogue” on Fox & Friends.

He made the remarks mere hours before a man tried to breach an FBI office in Cincinnati, leading to widespread criticism online. Rep Scalise also refused to defend other House Republicans who had called for the FBI to be “defunded” and “destroyed” in recent days.

Continue reading here:

Fox News host slams Steve Scalise after he claimed FBI at Mar-a-Lago went ‘rogue’

Truth Social messages being analysed by investigators

Friday 12 August 2022 20:20 , Gino Spocchia

Social media messages seen by news outlets before they became unavailable suggest Ricky Shiffer, the suspect in the attack on the FBI office in Ohio, had called for the deaths of FBI personnel.

On Donald Trump’s Truth Social media platform, an account belonging to a Ricky Shiffer had posted a “call to arms” and urged people to arm themselves and “be ready for combat” after the search, the Associated Press reported.

At least one of the messages on Truth Social appeared to have been posted after Shiffer failed to break into the FBI building in Cincinnati. It read: “If you don’t hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the FBI”.

Law enforcement officials are analysing the social media posts and told ABC News on Friday that the suspect is a “suspected domestic violent extremist”.

It was also thought that Shiffer had attended the January 6 Capitol riot with other Trump supporters.

Ohio senator calls attack on FBI field office ‘appalling’

Friday 12 August 2022 21:00 , Gino Spocchia

Sherrod Brown, a Democrat senator for Ohio, tweeted on Thursday that the attempted assault on the FBI’s field office in Cincinnati was “an appalling attack on law enforcement”.

Officials were aware of Ohio gunman for months ahead of FBI attack

Friday 12 August 2022 21:20 , Josh Marcus

Federal officials were looking into Ricky Shiffer for months, long before the Ohio gunman attacked an FBI office in Cincinnati on Thursday and was killed in a firefight with police.

Officials were looking into whether Shiffer was involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol or tied to extremist groups there, the New York Times reports.

A neighbour told the Times that federal agents had showed up at their apartment complex and asked questions.

Social media accounts appearing to belong to Shiffer posted about being at the January 6 riot.

Mike Turner becomes first Ohio Republican to address attack on FBI

Friday 12 August 2022 21:40 , Gino Spocchia

On Friday, Republican congressman Mike Turner reportedly became the first Republican lawmaker from Ohio to address the attack on the FBI office in Cincinnati.

Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, the Ohio Republican said all members of the House Intelligence Committee “are in full support of the men and women who everyday work to keep our nation safe and we condemn any action of violence”.

He went on to question the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago however and said his committee has “serious questions” about the Justice Department’s authorisation of the FBI search on former Republican president Donald Trump’s Florida property.

The GOP has been condemned by Democrats for criticism of the FBI and Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said on Thursday that his department did not take authorisation of a search warrant against Mr Trump “lightly”.

Ricky Shiffer’s military record revealed

Friday 12 August 2022 22:20 , Josh Marcus

Ricky Shiffer, the Ohio man who died in an armed standoff with police on Thursday after attacking an FBI field office, was a military veteran.

The 42-year-old served in the Navy on a nuclear submarine and later in the National Guard, Military.com reports.

Shiffer was in the Navy between 1998 and 2003, serving as a fire control technician and operating onboard the USS Columbia in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, earning no awards or decorations.

He followed his time on the sub with three years in the Florida National Guard as an infantryman, deploying to Iraq then being honourably discharged in 2011, according to records from the military branch.

Breaking news: What we know about Ricky Shiffer’s military experience

Friday 12 August 2022 22:30 , Josh Marcus

Ricky Shiffer, the Ohio man who died in an armed standoff with police on Thursday after attacking an FBI field office in Cincinnati, was a military veteran.

The 42-year-old served in the Navy on a nuclear submarine and later in the National Guard, Military.com reports.

Shiffer was in the Navy between 1998 and 2003, serving as a fire control technician and operating onboard the nuclear-powered USS Columbia in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, earning no awards or decorations. The position meant he was responsible for the systems used to maintain and fire the craft’s advanced weapons.

More details on the breaking news story here.

Ricky Shiffer: Ohio gunman who attacked FBI served in Navy and fought in Iraq

FBI on alert as criticism intensifies over Mar-a-Lago search

Friday 12 August 2022 23:00 , Josh Marcus

FBI officials have warned of a rise in threats against federal agents since the execution of a search warrant on Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property on Tuesday.

The search, which a law enforcement official suggested to The Washington Post was in connection with an investigation into classified nuclear documents allegedly kept at Mar-a-Lago by Mr Trump, came days before the FBI’s office was attacked in Cincinnati.

Mr Trump’s supporters have heavily criticised the FBI’s search, accusing the bureau and the Justice Department of using the legal system as a political weapon. That is despite the reports of declassified nuclear documents being seized at Mar-a-Lago however.

On Wednesday, FBI personnel were warned to avoid protesters and to avoid showing their security keys in public as a result of an increase in threats made against the bureau by far right social media accounts. The follwowing day, suspect Ricky Shiffer attempted to breach a FBI building.

Suspect also posted on Rumble about Proud Boys, report says

Friday 12 August 2022 23:30 , Gino Spocchia

Social media posts under the name Ricky Shiffer suggest the suspect in Thursday’s attack in Cincinnati called on others to “Save ammunition” and “Get in touch with the Proud Boys”, analysis from a think tank shows.

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank that monitors extremism and online hate speech, shared with ABC News on Friday its analysis of posts believed to be made by Shiffer.

As well as content on Twitter and Donald Trump’s own platform Truth Social, Shiffer is believed to have posted on the video streaming website Rumble, the report said.

Officials have been reported as saying that Shiffer’s connections to far right groups are under investigation and that he has been classified a “suspected domestic violent extremist”. That remains to be confirmed.

Tweets show suspect’s support for Proud Boys, reports say

Saturday 13 August 2022 00:01 , Gino Spocchia

Analysis of the FBI attack suspect’s social media history by Huffington Post suggests he also tweeted about support for the Proud Boys, the far right militia group connected to January 6.

Suspect called for “1775” as “solution” in reply to Marjorie Taylor Greene

Saturday 13 August 2022 00:30 , Josh Marcus

Social media accounts thought to belong to FBI shooting suspect Ricky Shiffer have come under scrutiny since his death on Thursday following a shoot-out with officers and an attempted attack on the bureau’s office in Cincinnati.

One tweet seen by NBC News suggested that in May, Shiffer responded to a tweet by pro-Trump congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene by referencing the need for a repeat of “1775” – in apparent reference to the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

Shiffer reportedly wrote: “Congresswoman Greene, they got away with fixing elections in plain sight. It’s over. The next step is the one we used in 1775.”

Ms Greene had tweeted: “I know they are trying 1984, but I’m feeling 2016 vibes”. Those comments were in apparent reference to false claims made by Donald Trump that Democrats stole the 2020 US election.

Family members remember Ricky Shiffer as “very intelligent but quiet person.

Saturday 13 August 2022 01:00 , Josh Marcus

Family members are speaking out about Ricky Shiffer, the Ohio man shot by law enforcement after attacking an FBI post on Thursday.

Shiffer grew up on a small family farm in Perry County, Pennsylvania, near the Susquehanna River, the oldest of four siblings, The Washington Post reports.

An unnamed family member told the Post that Shiffer was a “very intelligent but quiet person.”

“He had quite a memory on him,” they said. “It was full of facts and information when he would talk about something. He knew a lot about farm equipment.”

“He was quiet, maybe a little awkward, but you could tell he was a very smart kid. He had some brainpower,” the family member added.

Old acquaintances say Ricky Shiffer had an ‘anger issue’ and ‘got picked up by the wrong crowd'

Saturday 13 August 2022 01:30 , Josh Marcus

Now that officials have identified Ricky Shiffer of Ohio as the man who attacked a Cincinnati FBI office on Thursday, those who knew the gunman, who was killed by police, are starting to share their recollections.

Ian McConnell was Shiffer’s neighbour in the Greystone Apartments complex in Columbus, Ohio, where Shiffer lived between 2017 and 2020.

Shiffer was slightly odd but didn’t raise any alarm bells, Mr McConnell told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“We knew he was a bit off,” McConnell said. “He had a little bit of an anger issue about his car, but who doesn’t?”

The former neighbour said he was shocked to learn what happened to Shiffer, who moved away from Columbus with stated aspirations to live out West.

“It was a shock to us he wound up in Cincinnati,” Mr McConnell said. “I’m afraid this is coming two years too late and Ricky got picked up by the wrong crowd.”

Ohio gunman had ‘lead foot’ and minor arrests on record

Saturday 13 August 2022 02:00 , Josh Marcus

More details have begun to trickle in about Ricky Shiffer, the Ohio man who tried to shoot up an FBI office in Cincinnati on Thursday before being killed by police after a daylong police standoff.

The FBI attack wasn’t Shiffer’s first encounter with law enforcement.

In 2004, he got a speeding ticket in Minnesota, after driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone in his red Ford Mustage, NBC News reports.

“I have a lead foot,” he reportedly told officers.

That’s certainly true. Records show he got speeding tickets in Ohio, Hawaii, and Florida.

A year before the Minnesota incident, however, Shiffer had his most serious brush with police.

In July of 2003, he was arrested in Moorhead, Minnesota, and pleaded guilty to “obstructing legal process.”

Fury at FBI continues building on Truth Social

Saturday 13 August 2022 03:00 , Josh Marcus

Anger at the FBI continues to build on Truth Social, the social media platform founded by Donald Trump.

As of Friday afternoon, the top hashtags on the site were #EndTheFBI, #DefundTheFBI and #FBIcorruption, NBC News reports.

Ricky Shiffer was among the angry Truth Social users attacking the FBI, after the agency searched the former president’s home in Mar-a-Lago.

A post on Truth Social from an account appearing to belong to Shiffer seemed to confess to the attack.

“If you don’t hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the FBI, and it’ll mean either I was taken off the internet, the FBI got me, or they sent the regular cops,” the update reads.

According to an analysis from The Washington Post, Shiffer appeared to be one of Truth Social’s most prolific posters, sending out 374 messages in the week before the FBI shooting, most of them pro-Trump conspiracy theories.

The GOP attack on the FBI shows no signs of stopping

Saturday 13 August 2022 07:00 , Josh Marcus

Republicans in Congress who are relying on Donald Trump to excite voters in the fall elections are not only defending the former president against the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago home but politically capitalizing on it with grave and potentially dangerous rhetoric against the nation’s justice system.

The party that once stood staunchly for law-and-order has dramatically reversed course, stirring up opposition to the FBI and tapping into political grievances and far-right conspiracies that fed the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

It’s all part of the GOP’s election year strategy to harness voter outrage over the unprecedented search, quickly and unequivocally set in motion as Trump hosted a dozen Republicans for dinner of steak and scallops at his private Bedminster club the day after the FBI action.

More from the AP.

GOP backs Trump, escalates dark rhetoric after FBI search

ICYMI: What we know about Ricky Shiffer

Saturday 13 August 2022 07:59 , Josh Marcus

Law enforcement officers shot and killed an Ohio man named Ricky Shiffer on Thursday afternoon, after the 42-year-old allegedly attacked an FBI field office in Cincinnati armed with a nail gun and an assault rifle.

Shiffer, who lived in the city of Columbus, Ohio, according to public records obtained by the Daily Beast, reportedly left a string of violent comments on social media in recent months ahead of the attack.

Here’s everything we know about Ricky Shiffer.

Who is Ricky Shiffer, the man who attacked FBI office and posted Trump conspiracies?

Shiffer was on FBI radar months before attack

Saturday 13 August 2022 13:48 , Josh Marcus

Federal officials were looking into Ricky Shiffer for months, long before the Ohio gunman attacked an FBI office in Cincinnati on Thursday and was killed in a firefight with police.

Officials were looking into whether Shiffer was involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol or tied to extremist groups there, the New York Times reports.

A neighbour told the Times that federal agents had showed up at their apartment complex and asked questions.

Social media accounts appearing to belong to Shiffer posted about being at the January 6 riot.

Shiffer suspected to be a ‘domestic violent extremist’

Saturday 13 August 2022 19:00 , Gino Spocchia

Ricky Shiffer has been considered a “suspected domestic violent extremist” by investigators, law enforcement officials were reported as saying on Friday.

An official told ABC News that Shiffer was being investigated as a “suspected domestic violent extremist” and that his social media history was under investigation following the attack on an FBI office on Thursday.

The report cited his social media posts on Twitter and Truth Social, the platform set-up by Donald Trump after leaving office.

Read more:

Ohio FBI suspect considered possible ‘violent extremist’, report says

Ricky Shiffer was a veteran

Saturday 13 August 2022 20:30 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Ricky Shiffer, the Ohio man who died in an armed standoff with police on Thursday after attacking an FBI field office in Cincinnati, was a military veteran.

The 42-year-old served in the Navy on a nuclear submarine and later in the National Guard, Military.com reports.

The Ohio man enlisted in the Navy soon after high school, The Washington Post reports.

Shiffer grew up on a small family farm in Perry County, Pennsylvania, near the Susquehanna River, the oldest of four siblings.More details can be found in our full report.

Ricky Shiffer: Ohio gunman who attacked FBI served in Navy and fought in Iraq

FBI agent warns that rhetoric from GOP attacking agency could lead to more attacks

Saturday 13 August 2022 21:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Attacks from Donald Trump and leading Republican politicians are creating a dangerous climate of anti-law enforcement sentiment in the US, according to a former FBI agent.

“All of this rhetoric is being thrown around without any consideration for possible consequences,” Frank Montoya Jr, a retired FBI special agent who led the bureau’s field offices in Seattle and Honolulu, told The Associated Press on Friday.

“All that does is stir up that minority within the base that aren’t satisfied with just words, they actually want to act it out.”

As Bevan Hurley has reported, ex-FBI officials are worried the Ohio attack could act as a rallying cry for others bent on violence against the agency.

Ex-FBI official fears Ohio attack could act as a rallying cry for ‘unhinged’ people

Police are investigating Ohio FBI attack’s links to ‘violent extremist’ groups

Saturday 13 August 2022 21:47 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Ricky Shiffer, the 42-year-old suspect who attacked an FBI field office in Ohio, has been considered a “suspected domestic violent extremist” by investigators, reports say.

A law enforcement official told ABC News on Friday that Shiffer was being investigated as a “suspected domestic violent extremist” and that his social media history was under investigation following the attack on an FBI office on Thursday.

Investigators are also looking at whether or not Shiffer had ties to far-right extremist groups such as the Proud Boys, whose members have been charged with taking part in January 6, as per the Associated Press.

Shiffer appeared to call for the killing of FBI agents “on sight” in posts on Truth Social, the social media platform set-up by Donald Trump, in the days before the attack, NBC News reported on Thursday.

Catch up on Gino Spocchia’s reporting.

Ohio FBI suspect considered possible ‘violent extremist’, report says

Shiffer was on FBI radar months before attack

Saturday 13 August 2022 22:35 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Federal officials were looking into Ricky Shiffer for months, long before the Ohio gunman attacked an FBI office in Cincinnati on Thursday and was killed in a firefight with police.

Officials were looking into whether Shiffer was involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol or tied to extremist groups there, the New York Times reports.

A neighbour told the Times that federal agents had showed up at their apartment complex and asked questions.

Social media accounts appearing to belong to Shiffer posted about being at the January 6 riot.

What we know about Shiffer’s military experience

Saturday 13 August 2022 23:23 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Ricky Shiffer, the Ohio man who died in an armed standoff with police on Thursday after attacking an FBI field office in Cincinnati, was a military veteran.

The 42-year-old served in the Navy on a nuclear submarine and later in the National Guard, Military.com reports.

Shiffer was in the Navy between 1998 and 2003, serving as a fire control technician and operating onboard the nuclear-powered USS Columbia in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, earning no awards or decorations. The position meant he was responsible for the systems used to maintain and fire the craft’s advanced weapons.

More details here:

Ricky Shiffer: Ohio gunman who attacked FBI served in Navy and fought in Iraq

Shiffer had an ‘anger issue’, old acquaintances say

Sunday 14 August 2022 00:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: After officials identified Ricky Shiffer of Ohio as the man who attacked a Cincinnati FBI office on Thursday, those who knew the gunman, who was killed by police, began to share their recollections.

Ian McConnell was Shiffer’s neighbour in the Greystone Apartments complex in Columbus, Ohio, where Shiffer lived between 2017 and 2020.

Shiffer was slightly odd but didn’t raise any alarm bells, Mr McConnell told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“We knew he was a bit off,” McConnell said. “He had a little bit of an anger issue about his car, but who doesn’t?”

The former neighbour said he was shocked to learn what happened to Shiffer, who moved away from Columbus with stated aspirations to live out West.

“It was a shock to us he wound up in Cincinnati,” Mr McConnell said. “I’m afraid this is coming two years too late and Ricky got picked up by the wrong crowd.”

What was FBI searching for in Trump raid that angered Ricky Shiffer?

01:03 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Ohio gunman Ricky Shiffer appears to have been inspired to violence after the FBI searched Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence for evidence in an investigation into his White House’s handling of government documents.

Here’s Andrew Feinberg’s report on what the FBI uncovered in the search.

Ohio FBI shooting suspect under investigation as ‘suspected domestic violent extremist’, report says

05:00 , Peony Hirwani

ICYMI: Ricky Shiffer, the 42-year-old suspect who attacked an FBI field office in Ohio, has been considered a “suspected domestic violent extremist” by investigators, reports say.

A law enforcement official told ABC News on Friday that Shiffer was being investigated as a “suspected domestic violent extremist” and that his social media history was under investigation following the attack on an FBI office on Thursday.

Gino Spocchia has the full story:

Ohio FBI suspect considered possible ‘violent extremist’, report says

Ricky Shiffer served in Navy and fought in Iraq

07:00 , Peony Hirwani

ICYMI: Ricky Shiffer, the Ohio man who died in an armed standoff with police on Thursday after attacking an FBI field office in Cincinnati, was a military veteran.

The 42-year-old served in the Navy on a nuclear submarine and later in the National Guard, Military.com reports.

The Ohio man enlisted in the Navy soon after high school, The Washington Post reports.

Shiffer grew up on a small family farm in Perry County, Pennsylvania, near the Susquehanna River, the oldest of four siblings.

An unnamed family member told the Post that Shiffer was a “very intelligent but quiet person.”

Josh Marcus has the full report:

Ricky Shiffer: Ohio gunman who attacked FBI served in Navy and fought in Iraq

Old acquaintances say Ricky Shiffer had an ‘anger issue’ and ‘got picked up by the wrong crowd'

09:00 , Peony Hirwani

ICYMI: Now that officials have identified Ricky Shiffer of Ohio as the man who attacked a Cincinnati FBI office on Thursday, those who knew the gunman, who was killed by police, are starting to share their recollections.

Ian McConnell was Shiffer’s neighbour in the Greystone Apartments complex in Columbus, Ohio, where Shiffer lived between 2017 and 2020.

Shiffer was slightly odd but didn’t raise any alarm bells, Mr McConnell told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“We knew he was a bit off,” McConnell said. “He had a little bit of an anger issue about his car, but who doesn’t?”

The former neighbour said he was shocked to learn what happened to Shiffer, who moved away from Columbus with stated aspirations to live out West.

“It was a shock to us he wound up in Cincinnati,” Mr McConnell said. “I’m afraid this is coming two years too late and Ricky got picked up by the wrong crowd.”

Officials were aware of Ohio gunman for months ahead of FBI attack

11:00 , Peony Hirwani

ICYMI: Federal officials were looking into Ricky Shiffer for months, long before the Ohio gunman attacked an FBI office in Cincinnati on Thursday and was killed in a firefight with police.

Officials were looking into whether Shiffer was involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol or tied to extremist groups there, the New York Times reports.

A neighbour told the Times that federal agents had showed up at their apartment complex and asked questions.

Social media accounts appearing to belong to Shiffer posted about being at the January 6 riot.

Suspect was registered Republican, records show

13:00 , Peony Hirwani

ICYMI: Public records show that Ohio FBI attack suspect Ricky Shiffer was a registered Republican who voted in the 2020 primary and general election from Ohio and Oklahoma.

The 42-year-old, who social media posts appeared to show was an ardent support of Donald Trump, also appears in court records in Ohio following a lawsuit filed by the Ohio Department of Taxation.

Josh Marcus has more:

Who is Ricky Shiffer, the man who attacked FBI office and posted Trump conspiracies?