A man who campaigned against gun violence while running for mayor of an Indiana city is accused of murdering an FBI agent in an ambush Wednesday.
Shane Meehan, 44, allegedly tossed a Molotov cocktail at the Terre Haute FBI building and then shot FBI Task Force Officer Gregory Ferency when he came outside, federal prosecutors said in a press release.
Ferency, who also served as a Terre Haute Police Detective, was able to return fire but later died of his injuries, according to the feds.
Another FBI agent ran out of the building and shot Meehan, who then drove to a local hospital to treat his two bullet wounds, officials alleged.
Meehan is charged with murder of a federal agent, and faces life in prison.
“An attack on law enforcement is an attack on us all,” said Acting US Attorney John Childress.
“The selfless dedication exhibited by Detective Ferency throughout his career and his tragic death yesterday is yet another example of why we all owe our respect and gratitude to the members of law enforcement.”
It’s unclear what motivated the suspect to allegedly carry out the brazen broad daylight murder in front of the FBI Indianapolis Resident Agency building.
The father of three, and former federal prison employee, said public safety and gun violence would be a top priority of his if elected to mayor of Terre Haute, in a 2019 interview with My Wabash Valley.
“I think a lot of it [youth gun violence] has to do with the kids and what happens at home, and everything else going on around them, causes a lot of pressure and a lot of things are happening that shouldn’t be happening,” the failed Independent candidate told the station.
