Shane Meehan, 44, was charged with the premeditated murder of a federal agent. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison, the FBI said in a release.

Authorities said Meehan was in custody and hospitalized Thursday, recovering from gunshot wounds he suffered during the ambush that resulted in Ferency’s death. Meehan had not been able to make statements to investigators, FBI Special Agent Paul Keenan said. In U.S. District Court documents filed Thursday afternoon, federal prosecutors said Meehan drove his 2003 Ford F-150 pickup truck near the FBI office building multiple times before pulling up to the gate of the secured parking lot entrance about 2:03 p.m. The building is off first street just west of the Vigo County Courthouse.

Investigators said Meehan got out of his truck and threw a Molotov cocktail toward the office.

Ferency then walked out of the building and was confronted by Meehan, who was holding a firearm.

Meehan raised the firearm and shot Ferency, the government said. Ferency was able to return fire but later died due to his injuries.

FBI Special Agent Ryan Lindgren then ran out of the building and engaged Meehan in a gunfight. Despite being shot twice, Meehan got into his truck and fled. He was located at Terre Haute Regional Hospital, where he was treated for his gunshot wounds. Prosecutors said a firearm was recovered from Meehan’s pickup truck, as were three more Molotov cocktails and additional ammunition. “An attack on law enforcement is an attack on us all,” Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress said in a news release.

“As citizens of this county, we enjoy on a daily basis the security and protection provided by the men and women of law enforcement. That security and protection is all the more precious because it is at times paid for with the lives of those who have chosen to protect us,” Childress said.

“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,” said Childress. “On behalf of the Department of Justice, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Detective Ferency’s family and his many colleagues.” Agent Keenan offered the FBI’s condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Ferency. “Greg was a valued member of our FBI family and had worked side by side with us as a task force officer since 2010 in our Terre Haute office. We will work day and night to carefully examine the circumstances of the shooting, and we are dedicated to honoring Greg’s memory through a meticulous investigation,” Keenan said.

The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Oliver and Barry Glickman are prosecuting.

In an Oct. 31, 2019, Tribune-Star article about the Terre Haute mayoral race, Meehan has said he took early retirement from the U.S. Penitentiary at Terre Haute. Meehan was campaigning as an independent for mayor, and he said he was running to take the city “back to the basics.”

Calling Terre Haute “a poor town [with] a lot of money going out,” he said streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure need improvement. “We could use a little bit better government in city officials and communications with the general public.” A graduate of West Vigo High School, he was seeking elected office for the first time.

He also was a mixed martial artist/cage fighter in the early 2000s, according to clips from the Tribune-Star sports department.

This article was made available through Hoosier State Press Association.