And you call unarmed citizens on January 6th at the capitol an insurrection. What a maroon.
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Federal prosecutors say that Christopher Michael Alberts of Maryland was arrested on Capitol grounds on the evening of Jan. 6 while carrying a Taurus G2c 9 mm handgun with one round in the chamber and a full 12-round magazine. He also allegedly had an extra magazine in his pocket and was carrying a gas mask, pocket knife and first-aid kit.
Lonnie Leroy Coffman of Alabama was also arrested that evening after law enforcement found two firearms on his person, as well as what a federal judge referred to as a "small armory" in his truck, which was parked near the Capitol. According to the court, the government found "a loaded handgun," "a loaded rifle," "a loaded shotgun," "a crossbow with bolts," "several machetes," "a stun gun" and "11 mason jars containing a flammable liquid, with a hole punched in the top of each jar." According to the government, surveillance footage showed him "in attendance at the events at the Capitol," though he has not been charged with breaching the building.
Cleveland Grover Meredith of North Carolina planned to arrive in D.C. for the Trump rallies on Jan. 6, according to federal prosecutors, but he was delayed because of car trouble. He was arrested the following day for allegedly assaulting a man in Washington, D.C., in a traffic-related incident and for making death threats against the D.C. mayor and Pelosi.
During a search, law enforcement said they found in his possession "a Glock 19, nine millimeter pistol, a Tavor X95 assault rifle and approximately hundreds of rounds of ammunition." Citing text messages sent by Meredith, a federal prosecutor argued in court that he "relished in the carnage of January 6th."
The government's case against members of the far-right, anti-government militia known as the Oath Keepers alleges that the group discussed planning a "Quick Reaction Team" with weapons just outside Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6. One such defendant, Thomas Caldwell, allegedly wrote in a text message on Jan. 3, "we could have our Quick Response Team with the heavy weapons standing by, quickly load them and ferry them across the river to our waiting arms." Caldwell's attorney, meanwhile, has argued that references to such a team demonstrate that the group was purposely adhering to D.C.'s strict gun laws. Caldwell's attorney also argued that the messages were not about storming the Capitol, stating that the team was "nothing but a contingency plan hatched up by retired military guys strategizing in the event that Antifa launched a coordinated attack against rally-goers." (There is no evidence antifa played any role in the events of Jan. 6.)
Prosecutors believe other defendants in the Capitol riot possessed guns on Jan. 6, though those rioters were not arrested and searched for weapons that day.
For example, Guy Wesley Reffitt allegedly "led a group of rioters up the Capitol steps" and "confronted law enforcement" but retreated after being pepper-sprayed. Reffitt was wearing tactical gear and "carrying his pistol" during the riot, according to the government, and also brought plastic flex cuffs.
Federal prosecutors say Reffitt is a member of the Texas Three Percenters, a far-right militia group. Reffitt's son told federal investigators that when Reffitt returned home from Washington, D.C., he brought an "AR-15 rifle and a Smith & Wesson pistol" in the house along with his other things. Reffitt was arrested on Jan. 18.
Samuel Fisher allegedly posted photos of himself, along with a rifle and handgun, in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6. He posted on Facebook early that day that he was leaving things in a parking garage, "maybe except pistol," and added, "if it kicks off I got a Vest and My Rifle." Fisher was arrested on Jan. 20 and is facing charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building, as well as disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, but not weapons charges.
Nolan Cooke, another Capitol riot defendant, allegedly told FBI agents that he "brought one or more firearms" to Washington, D.C., but he claimed he did not bring the weapons to the Capitol itself. He was arrested on Jan. 21.
Two men —
Julian Khater and
George Tanios — allegedly conspired to injure police officers defending the Capitol and used an unidentified chemical spray on three officers, including Sicknick. Prosecutors say Khater said on video "give me that bear s***" at one point, suggesting the chemical was bear spray.
"All three officers were incapacitated and unable to perform their duties for at least 20 minutes or longer while they recovered from the spray," federal prosecutors say. Two officers told investigators that the spray was "as strong as, if not stronger than, any version of pepper spray they had been exposed to during their training as law enforcement officers."
Sicknick died on Jan. 7, but officials have not yet made public details about the exact cause of his death.
Khater and Tanios were not the only suspects who, prosecutors say, used pepper spray on Jan. 6. At least five other individuals charged with crimes around the Capitol riots were found to have possessed some sort of irritant spray.
Self-declared Oath Keepers member
Jon Ryan Schaffer, for example, allegedly sprayed Capitol Police with bear spray as he and others tried to press forward into the Capitol building.
Robert Gieswein was armed with a baseball bat and an "irritant spray" and allegedly used both against police officers who had been assigned to protect the Capitol. He was charged with "assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon."
Matthew Miller is accused of discharging a fire extinguisher on the steps leading to an entrance to the Capitol building. And
Robert Sanford allegedly struck three U.S. Capitol police officers in the head with a fire extinguisher.
Federal prosecutors accuse
Jeffrey McKellop of assaulting police officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon on Jan. 6. An FBI affidavit cites police body camera footage that allegedly shows McKellop wearing a gas mask and tactical gear and attacking police with a flagpole. At one point, prosecutors say, he threw a flagpole like a "spear" and lacerated an officer's face.
A video cited in federal court records allegedly shows
Peter Stager striking a police officer repeatedly with a flagpole while the officer lays facedown on the steps of the Capitol building. Court documents allege
Thomas Webster attacked an officer by lunging toward him and striking him with a flagpole numerous times.
Chad Barrett Jones allegedly used a "long, wood flagpole" to strike out a door's glass panel near the Speaker's Lobby as the mob shouted, "Break it down!" and "Let's f***ing go!" Soon after, rioter Ashli Babbitt tried to climb through one of the doors' broken windows and was shot and killed.
New Yorker reporter Luke Mogelson followed rioters into the Capitol on Jan. 6 and
told WHYY's
Fresh Air that bringing flags seemed to be a concerted tactic. The flagpoles were unlikely to be confiscated by police earlier in the day but could still be used as weapons. That observation appears to be borne out in the court documents.
Federal prosecutors allege that
Dana Winn stated on video that he brought flagpoles to the Capitol to "hit antifa in the head if need be."
William Chrestman, whom prosecutors identified as a member of the Proud Boys extremist group, also allegedly carried "a long wooden stick, which was initially wrapped in a blue flag, that the government believes to be an axe handle." In a court opinion regarding Chrestman, federal judge Beryl Howell stated, "a defendant's carrying or use during the riot of a dangerous weapon, whether a firearm, a large pipe, a wooden club, an axe handle, or other offensive-use implement, indicates at least some degree of preparation for the attack and an expectation that the need to engage in violence against law enforcement or, indeed, the Legislative branch, might arise."
