Police: Threats from ex-employee prompts closure of Cincinnati P&G offices; 1 person in custody

CINCINNATI — Multiple threats directed to the downtown Cincinnati offices of Proctor and Gamble prompted SWAT units Wednesday morning and a closure of the offices.

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An officer safety bulletin was sent by Cincinnati police Wednesday morning warning officers about a P&G employee who was fired in 2021 for not coming back to work after working from home due to the pandemic, the Ohio State Highway Patrol told our news partners at WCPO.

The man who was accused of making the threats was taken into custody at an apartment complex in Covington, Kentucky Wednesday afternoon, according to investigators in Kentucky.

The former employee also texted two other current employees about taking over the company, according to the safety bulletin.

“I’m shutting the world down via Cincinnati tomorrow,” he texted, according to the safety bulletin. The former employee also allegedly sent an email to a former CEO telling him he was now in control and also told his family last weekend that he was now running P&G.

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The safety bulletin indicates the man still has his P&G work badge but it had been deactivated. Officers were also warned the former employee could have access to guns and has threatened to “put officers down,” along with pointing firearms at officers in the past, the station reports.

The man “does not have a criminal history and according to family is suffering from mental illness,” Cincinnati police said in the safety bulletin.

The threats prompted a large police response including SWAT officers outside the P&G headquarters.

“With the recent incidents surrounding the nation, P&G made the decision for their employees not to report to work this morning,” Cincinnati police Sgt. Anthony Mitchell said.

The remainder of P&G’s offices in the Cincinnati area remained open Wednesday.

Additional details were not available.