The man who tried to attack the FBI Cincinnati field office was a Navy veteran and prolific poster on former President Donald Trump's Truth Social. Ricky Shiffer was shot to death after raising a gun toward police after a chase and standoff Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI |
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Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The armed, body-armored man killed in a shootout with the FBI and police after attempting to breach an FBI field office in Cincinnati on Thursday was a Navy veteran and appeared to be a prolific poster to former President Donald Trump's Truth Social website.
Ohio state police identified the gunman as Ricky W. Shiffer, 42, who had ties to Columbus, Ohio. Shiffer served as a fire control technician in the Navy, according to military service records obtained by The Washington Post.
Screenshots of a Truth Social account show the name Ricky Shiffer with the handle @rickywshifferjr, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The account appears to have been taken down.
Shiffer is believed to have stopped living in Columbus in April 2020, according to public records.
Shiffer tried to breach the FBI Cincinnati field office, but fled when he was unsuccessful. Ohio State patrol Lt. Nathan Dennis said that authorities tried to negotiate with the man but fatally shot him when he raised a gun toward police.
Just minutes after the breach attempt at the FBI office, an account with the suspect's name on Trump's Truth Social posted, "If you don't hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the F.B.I."
According to the Washington Post, there were 374 messages in the last eight days on that Truth Social account bearing Shiffer's name. Those posts called for all-out war after the FBI searched Trump's home. They also echoed Trump's false claims about the 2020 election.
Calls for pro-Trump violence remain common on social media.
Shiffer led police on a chase as he fled the FBI Cincinnati Field Office. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said after he left the interstate, Shiffer exchanged gunfire with officers. Troopers shot and killed him when he raised a gun toward officers, according to the Ohio State Patrol.
