FBI: Armed subject attempting to breach Cincinnati FBI office leads to pursuit, shots fired
Updated: 12:24 PM EDT Aug 11, 2022
BREAKING NEWS… POLICE ARE CONFRONTING AN ARMED SUSPECT IN CLINTON COUNTY… [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY WLWT-TV] KELLY: POLICE ARE CONFRONTING AN ARMED SUSPECT IN CLINTON COUNTY AFTER A POSSIBLE THREAT AT THE CINCINNATI FBI BUILDING. ALLISON: ONE MORE PUSH OF RAIN BEFORE REFRESHING AIR SETTLES IN. WHO SEES ANOTHER SHOWER, COMING UP. COLIN: AND A HOUSE EXPLOSION LEAVES THREE PEOPLE DEAD IN INDIANA. THE LATEST ON THE INVESTIGATION. >> THIS IS WLWT NEWS 5, LEADING THE WAY WITH BREAKING NEWS. KELLY: THAT BREAKING NEWS, POLICE CONFRONTING A SUSPECT IN CLINTON COUNTY WHO OFFICIALS SAY MADE A THREAT TOWARDS THE FBI BUILDING IN CINCINNATI. TWO DIFFERENT SCENES HERE. THANKS FOR JOINING US, I’M KELLY RIPPIN. COLIN: AND I’M COLIN MAYFIELD. THIS ACTIVE SITUATION SHUTTING DOWN I-71 AND STATE ROUTE 73 IN BOTH DIRECTIONS FOR BOTH OF THOSE INTERSTATES AND HIGHWAYS. WLWT NEWS 5’S KARIN JOHNSON JOINS US LIVE IN CLINTON COUNTY WITH WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR. KARIN. >> JUST STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING HERE. THIS ALL STARTED OUTSIDE THE FBI OFFICES IN CINCINNATI. MY COLLEAGUE BRIAN HAMRICK HAS BEEN OUT THERE ALL MORNING AND WILL BRING YOU THE LATEST ON THAT SITUATION. RIGHT HERE IN CLINTON COUNTY, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW, A LOCKDOWN DOES REMAIN IN EFFECT. IT IS WITHIN A ONE-MILE RADIUS OF THE INTERSECTION OF SMITH ROAD AND CENTER ROAD. POLICE ARE TELLING RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO REMAIN VIGILANT AND THEY SHOULD LOCK THEIR DOORS. WE HAVE CONFIRMED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAVE TRADED SHOTS WITH A MALE SUSPECT WHO IS WEARING A GRAY SHIRT AND ALSO BODY ARMOR. AGAIN, FROM WHAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING AFTER THE INCIDENT STARTED WITH SOME KIND OF THREAT AT THE FBI OFFICE. THAT GUY FLED NORTHBOUND ON 71 GOING THROUGH HAMILTON COUNTY MAKING THEIR WAY INTO WARREN COUNTY AND INTO CLINTON COUNTY. WE DID HEAR RADIO TRAFFIC THAT POSSIBLY THAT SUSPECT WAS FIRING AT OFFICERS THAT WERE FOLLOWING HIM NORTH. AGAIN, WE’RE TRYING TO GET ALL OF THAT CONFIRMED. THE IMPORTANT PART HERE IS THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA SHOULD LOCK THEIR DOORS. WE ARE HERE AT THE CAESAR FLEAMARKET WHICH IS SEVERAL MINUTES AWAY FROM THE SITUATION. THEY ARE KEEPING US BACK. WE ARE EXPECTING A SPOKESPERSON WITH THE OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL TO ARRIVE AT ANY MOMENT WITH MORE INFORMATION. AS SOON AS WE GET ANYTHING CONFIRMED OR IF WE FIND OUT THIS LOCKDOWN HAS BEEN LIFTED, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO PASS ALONG TO YOU ON AIR AND ONLINE. COLIN: AND I JUST GOT ON SCENE ABOUT 30-45 MINUTES AUG. HOMELAND SECURITY EVENT GOING TO THAT FBI SIDE. >> THERE ARE SOME DEPUTIES ARE AROUND, BUT I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THEY ARE KEEPING IS PRETTY FAR BACK. THEY ARE TRYING TO KEEP THE PUBLICLY FROM THE SCENE. WE DON’T KNOW IF THE SUSPECT WAS HIT BUT WE DO KNOW THE LOCKDOWN DOES REMAIN IN EFFECT. IF WE GET ANY MORE INFORMATION, WE WILL PASS IT ALONG. KELLY: THANK YOU. COLIN: THE SUSPECT BELIEVED TO HAVE MADE A THREAT TOWARDS THE FBI BUILDING IN CINCINNATI. KELLY: THAT’S WHERE WLWT NEWS 5’S BRIAN HAMRICK IS LIVE. WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SOME PEOPLE ON SCENE AND ALSO LET US KNOW WHAT THE INVESTIGATION LOOKS LIKE AS IT UNFOLDS THERE. >> THE FBI HAS CONFIRMED THERE WAS A POTENTIAL THREAT HERE. APPARENTLY, A PERSON ARMED WITH A GUN SHOWED UP HERE AND THEN LEFT. THEY HAVE NOT SAID EXACTLY HOW LONG THEY WERE HERE. LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THIS IS THE FBI CENTER IN KENWOOD, TECHNICALLY SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP. THIS IS THE EVIDENCE COLLECTION TEAM. THEY HAVE BEEN OUT HERE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR SO. THEY SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS WINDOW IN THE CHECKPOINT GOING INTO THIS FBI CENTER. IT IS VERY SECURE HERE. THERE IS A HUGE FENCE AROUND THE PLACE. IT IS A VERY SECURE FACILITY HERE. THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS OF THE PERSON WEARING BODY ARMOR. SOME HAVE SAID HE HAD BODY ARMOR. IT IS NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT THIS PERSON WAS WEARING WHEN THEY GOT HERE. ALSO, NOT SURE HOW LONG THEY WERE HERE OR WHAT EXACTLY HE DID IF HE GOT INSIDE OR IF ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT. WE HAVE ASKED FBI AGENT ABOUT THIS. THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION AT THIS POINT. AT SOME POINT, THE MAN TOOK OFF FROM THIS AREA. AGAIN, NOT CLEAR IF FBI AGENTS CHASED AFTER HIM BUT ONCE HE GOT ON THE 71 HEADED NORTH IS WHEN THE OHIO STATE PATROL TOOK UP THE CHASE AND ENDED UP THERE WHERE KAREN HAS BEEN THIS AFTERNOON. FOR NOW, HOMELAND SECURITY IS HERE. FEDERAL POLICE THAT SHOW UP TO THESE PROTECTION FOR THEIR FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE POLICE. THEY ARE HERE ON THE SCENE. WE HAVE VIDEO EARLIER THIS MORNING WHEN EVER THE CREW SHOWED UP. THE VERY FIRST CRUISE TO ARRIVE WHERE THE SHARES DEPARTMENT. THEY SHOWED UP ON THE SCENE VERY EARLY AND THEN DAYS — THEY LEFT AND THESE OTHER AGENCIES TOOK OVER. OHIO STATE PATROL INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS. THE ONE THING THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE AT THIS POINT, FBI SAYS EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A POTENTIAL THREAT EARLIER TODAY, THERE IS NO THREAT TO THE AREA AND THE PERSON THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THIS IS NOW UP THERE WHERE KAREN IS ON THAT SCENE. EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL HERE, HOWEVER, THEY ARE COLLECTING EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE THEY CAN TO TRY TO PUT — TRY TO TIE THIS PERSON TO WHAT IS HAPPENING UP THERE. THEY WILL HAVE OTHER THINGS LIKE CAMERAS. THERE IS A MEMBER OF CAMERAS HERE ON EVERY CORNER OF THE BUILDING. IT WILL BE IN EVIDENCE COLLECTION PROCESS AS THEY GET THROUGH THIS AND IT COULD TAKE SOME TIME. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU POSTED AS WE RECEIVE NEW DETAILS. KELLY: WE GOT A STATEMENT FROM THE FBI A SHORT TIME AGO. THEY REFERENCE THE PERSON ATTEMPTED TO BREACH THE VISITORS SCREENING FACILITY. THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW BUILDING. WE THINK THAT HELPED DE-ESCALATE THE SITUATION THERE FASTER? >> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR THIS PERSON TO GET IN. IF THEY WOULD HAVE TRIED TO CLIMB THE FENCE, THAT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO GET OVER THAT FENCE AND SOME EFFORT. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS BUILDING HERE. I’M SURE THESE — THE GLASS AND EVERYTHING IN HERE IS SECURE. I AM CERTAIN THAT SECURITY MEASURES HERE IN TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE THEY DON’T WANT IN OUT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THIS PERSON NOT GETTING INTO THE FACILITY. AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE WHATEVER MIGHT HAVE TOUCHED THIS GLASS, THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN WHAT IS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOW SO THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING AT GETTING FINGER’S OFF OF THAT OR WHATEVER THEY COULD DO TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO THIS WAS. THEN, DETERMINE WHILE OF THIS HAPPENED. KELLY: AND WE ARE SPIKING TO GET — EXPECTING TO GET UPDATES FRO
FBI: Armed subject attempting to breach Cincinnati FBI office leads to pursuit, shots fired
Updated: 12:24 PM EDT Aug 11, 2022
A pursuit and ongoing police situation in Clinton County has shut down two highways and prompted an area lockdown Thursday. It all started after an armed suspect attempted to breach an FBI building in Cincinnati. According to FBI Cincinnati, it started around 9 am when a person showed up to the office in Kenwood and attempted to breach the visitor screening facility. An alarm went off and FBI special agents responded when the person fled north onto I-71 leading Ohio State Highway Patrol on a pursuit into Clinton County. The FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement are now on scene near Wilmington where they say they are trying to resolve the critical incident. Clinton County Emergency Management Agency officials said law enforcement has exchanged shots with the male suspect who is described as wearing a gray shirt and body armor. I-71 is closed between State Routes 73 and 68 in both directions until further notice. State Route 73 is also shut down in both directions between Mitchell Road and State Route 380. State Route 380 is also closed between State Route 73 and Brimstone Road. A lockdown is in effect for all buildings within a one mile radius of Smith Road and Center Road, according to Clinton County EMA. Residents and businesses are asked to lock their doors. This is a breaking news story, WLWT is working to learn more and will continue to update with the latest information as it comes in.
A pursuit and ongoing police situation in Clinton County has shut down two highways and prompted an area lockdown Thursday. It all started after an armed suspect attempted to breach an FBI building in Cincinnati.
According to FBI Cincinnati, it started around 9 am when a person showed up to the office in Kenwood and attempted to breach the visitor screening facility.
An alarm went off and FBI special agents responded when the person fled north onto I-71 leading Ohio State Highway Patrol on a pursuit into Clinton County.
The FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement are now on scene near Wilmington where they say they are trying to resolve the critical incident.
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Clinton County Emergency Management Agency officials said law enforcement has exchanged shots with the male suspect who is described as wearing a gray shirt and body armor.
I-71 is closed between State Routes 73 and 68 in both directions until further notice. State Route 73 is also shut down in both directions between Mitchell Road and State Route 380.
State Route 380 is also closed between State Route 73 and Brimstone Road.
A lockdown is in effect for all buildings within a one mile radius of Smith Road and Center Road, according to Clinton County EMA. Residents and businesses are asked to lock their doors.
This is a breaking news story, WLWT is working to learn more and will continue to update with the latest information as it comes in.