Before Ivens was able to finish his “message,” this report says, the three American Diplomatic Security (DS) agents, who trail all Russian diplomats in the US, began to “surge” towards Ivens causing him to flee.
According to US news sources, Special Agent Ivens, after leaving downtown Los Angeles, returned to his home in Burbank whereupon he then fled into the rugged Verdugo Mountains after which a massive manhunt for him ensued involving 100 FBI agents, 40 sheriff’s department rescuers and a dozen local police officers.
FBI officials stated to the local media that Ivens was “distraught” and “might be suicidal” adding that they believed he had in his possession his service weapon. At no time, however, did anyone ever state as to why Ivens would be in such a state.
According to other US news sources, Special Agent Ivens graduated from Braintree High School in Massachusetts 18 years ago and was selected by his fellow students as “shyest” in his class. He was further described by FBI colleagues as well liked, a devoted agent with no history of disciplinary action on the job, and according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller “Married with a one-year-old child, he has been working for the FBI for the past three years in the national security area. Prior to that, he worked as a Los Angeles police officer for eight years.”
Late yesterday, after the massive manhunt failed to find any trace of Ivens, his wife Thea Ivens issued an urgent public appeal stating: “Steve, if you are out there listening right now, your wife wants to let you know, ‘Babe, we are in this together for better or for worse. I love you, no matter what happens.’ Your child wants you to know, ‘Daddy’s work? Daddy home?’”
