FBI to adjust 'security posture' after man fires nail gun into Cincinnati field office

Jun 04, 2023

FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency will adjust its "security posture" after a man fired a nail gun at the Cincinnati field office on Thursday before he was killed during a confrontation with officers.

In a message to the bureau's workforce Thursday, Wray said he was focused on the safety and security of agency employees in the wake of the attack.

"Security Division is working across the agency as we continue to stay vigilant and adjust our security posture accordingly," he said.

In his message, Wray appeared to reference news that the suspect, who was identified to NBC News by two law enforcement sources as Ricky Shiffer, appeared to have posted online in recent days about his desire to engage in violence against FBI agents shortly after former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence was searched. The search was tied to classified information Trump allegedly took with him from the White House in January 2021.

"There has been a lot of commentary about the FBI this week questioning our work and motives. Much of it is from critics and pundits on the outside who don't know what we know and don't see what we see," Wray said. "What I know — and what I see — is an organization made up of men and women who are committed to doing their jobs professionally and by the book every day; this week is no exception."

"Our focus must remain, as always, on our mission and on doing the right thing, in the right way, no matter how loud the noise gets," Wray said, adding that he was "proud of the rigor, objectivity, and fierce passion for the mission" that FBI employees bring to the job.

Shiffer was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to three people aiding law enforcement who saw him in photos taken from the day of the attack. However, it is unclear whether he went inside the building. He had frequently posted about his attendance at the Capitol on social media. On Truth Social, the social media platform founded by Trump's media company, Trump Media & Technology Group, Shiffer appeared to have posted a message detailing a failed attempt to gain entry into the FBI building.

"Well, I thought I had a way through bullet proof glass, and I didn't. If you don't hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the F.B.I., and it’ll mean either I was taken off the internet, the F.B.I. got me, or they sent the regular cops while," an account with the handle @RickyWShifferJr wrote at 9:29 a.m. ET, shortly after police said the shooting occurred.

Shiffer also appeared to have posted to Truth Social multiple times in the days after the FBI's search at Trump's residence in Palm Beach, Florida, about wanting to engage in violence, with one post calling for people to arm themselves and be prepared for "combat."

"We must not tolerate this one," he appeared to write.

Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington.

Chantal Da Silva is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in London.