FBI: Cleveland man planning to ambush and kill federal authorities arrested in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Christian Stanley Ferguson, 20, of Cleveland, was arrested in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on May 8, for planning to ambush, kill and rob federal law enforcement officers, the Cleveland FBI reports.

Ferguson was identified after posting several violent and extremist threats on the cross-platform communication application Discord, according to court records.

Over several weeks, Ferguson discussed reporting a fake crime in progress in order to draw in and attack federal authorities.

He made statements about tactical options for killing multiple people, and discussed how best to dispose of their bodies.

Federal authorities allege Christian Ferguson, 20, of Cleveland, planned to use an AR-15 assault rifle to attack, kill and rob law enforcement, (Source: AP Images)

Ferguson also allegedly met with potential accomplices to discuss and carry out his plan.

He then engaged in practice drills with an AR-15 rifle, and placed a hoax distress call within the national park to measure park rangers’ response time.

Ferguson believed four federal officers arrived and said if that many officers respond to the actual event, he would likely have to kill them all. The FBI was able to successfully monitor these meetings, according to court documents.

Ferguson has been held in local custody since May 8, and was transferred to federal custody on Tuesday morning. He has been charged with attempted kidnapping.

This case was investigated by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rangers, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, city of Cuyahoga Falls Prosecutor’s Office and the Cleveland Division of the FBI, and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office – Northern District of Ohio.