Over 535 charged six months after Jan. 6 riot: DOJ

The Department of Justice says it has charged over 535 defendants six months after the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement that 495 defendants have been charged with entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds.

It added that nearly 235 defendants were charged with obstructing, influencing or impeding an official proceeding, or attempting to do so.

At least 165 were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding officers or employees. The FBI released 11 new videos of suspects violently assaulting officers during the Capitol riots.

The U.S. attorney’s office also says that approximately six people have been arrested on charges of assaulting a member of the media or destroying their equipment.

But the DOJ still says it needs the public’s help identifying 300 people believed to have committed violent acts at the Capitol, including 200 who assaulted law enforcement.

About ten people have pleaded guilty to a variety of charges thus far, the agency said. The attack caused about $1.5 million worth of damage to the Capitol building.

Among the arrests was Fi Duong, who was arrested Tuesday, according to recently- unsealed court records. He is facing several charges in connection with the riots, including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do, disorderly conduct and obstruction of an official proceeding.

According to an FBI affdivat, Duong allegedly climbed a wall of the U.S. Capitol before entering.

He told an undercover FBI employee that he wore all black in an “effort to look like a member of Antifa.” The affidavit further said that he was wearing a “Japanese style mask.” 

Duong and his group also “coordinated additional surveillance” of the Capitol, prosecutors allege.

Several deaths occurred as a result of the riots that saw supporters of former President Trump overwhelm the Capitol, delaying the certification of the Electoral College results for the 2020 election.

The House has formed a select committee to investigate the events that day. Pelosi has named her eight members to the committee, including Republican Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.). But is unclear if Republicans will do the same.

The FBI says it needs the public’s help identifying 300 people believed to have committed violent acts at the Capitol, including 200 who assaulted law enforcement.