Authorities are in a standoff with an armed suspect who tried to enter the FBI's Cincinnati office
By Michelle Watson, Dakin Andone, Josh Campbell and Caroll Alvarado, CNNUpdated: Thu, 11 Aug 2022 17:59:45 GMTSource: CNNLaw enforcement officers are engaged in an "active standoff situation" with a s
By Michelle Watson, Dakin Andone, Josh Campbell and Caroll Alvarado, CNNUpdated: Thu, 11 Aug 2022 17:59:45 GMT
Source: CNN
Law enforcement officers are engaged in an "active standoff situation" with a suspect who authorities say attempted to breach the FBI's field office in Cincinnati on Thursday.
A lockdown remains in effect for a one-mile radius around the intersection of Smith Road and Center Road, according to the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency, which instructed area residents to remain vigilant.
An armed male tried to enter the FBI office Thursday morning around 9:15 a.m. ET, Lt. Nathan Dennis, a spokesperson for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, said in a news conference. The suspect was unsuccessful, however, and fled the area.
An Ohio state trooper spotted the suspect's vehicle at a northbound rest stop along Interstate 71 about 20 minutes after the attempted breach, Dennis said, and tried to initiate traffic stop before the suspect fled.
"The suspect vehicle did fire shots during that pursuit," Dennis said. The suspect then exited onto State Route 73 and traveled east to Smith Road, where he headed north before eventually coming to a stop.
"Gunfire was exchanged between officers on scene and the suspect," Dennis said, adding the situation remains contained to a specific area and there is no risk to the public outside of that area.
At the time of the news conference, no officers had been injured, Dennis said. He declined to answer questions about whether the suspect had been positively identified or injured in the standoff with authorities.
The FBI confirmed the incident in a statement, saying it had "an armed subject attempt to breach" the facility's Visitor Screening Facility.
"Upon the activation of an alarm and a response by armed FBI special agents, the subject fled northbound onto Interstate 71," the statement said. "The FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement partners are on scene near Wilmington, OH trying to resolve this critical incident."
A federal law enforcement source told CNN the suspect was believed to be armed with a nail gun and AR-15. Another federal law enforcement source with knowledge of the incident told CNN that FBI facilities around the country are reviewing their security posture in the wake of the incident.
Interstate 71 remains closed in both directions between US 68 and state Route 73, the county's emergency management said, and state Route 73 is closed between state Route 380 and Mitchell Road
"Law enforcement has traded shots with a male suspect who is wearing a gray shirt and body armor," an earlier post said.
CNN has reached out to the Ohio State Highway Patrol for more information. CNN has also reached out to the FBI Cincinnati field office.
