Law enforcement in Ohio are responding to a “critical incident” and are warning residents in Clinton County to stay indoors after an armed suspect attempted to breach an FBI office in nearby Cincinnati.
In a statement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said the individual tried to get past the visitor screening facility at the bureau’s Cincinnati field office at roughly 9:15 a.m. ET on Thursday.
“Upon the activation of an alarm and a response by armed FBI special agents, the subject fled northbound onto Interstate 71,” the FBI said in the statement.
“The FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement partners are on scene near Wilmington, Ohio, trying to resolve this critical incident.”
The Clinton County Emergency Management Agency is responsible for the area including Wilmington.
That agency posted several updates on its Facebook page on Thursday morning, warning residents to stay inside and lock their doors, adding that shots had been fired.
“Residents and businesses in this area should lock their doors and remain vigilant,” the agency said.
“Law enforcement has traded shots with a male suspect who is wearing a gray shirt and body armor.”
There are no reports of a potential motive at this time.
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The confrontation came as officials warned of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Federal officials said the man was chased onto Interstate 71, and a shot was fired from his car, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The suspect left the interstate north of Cincinnati and abandoned his car on nearby rural roads, where he exchanged gunfire with police.
The man has “unknown injuries,” but no one else was hurt, the patrol said.
The standoff remained in progress as of midafternoon Thursday.
With files from The Associated Press.
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