A heavily armed Manhattan man who allegedly helped storm the Capitol and a Connecticut man charged in connection with an assault on a Capitol Hill police officer were arrested, as the FBI continues its investigation into the riots on Jan. 6. NBC New York’s Jonathan Dienst reports.
The FBI has arrested two more men in New York for their alleged participation in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, one of whom allegedly wielded the riot shield used to crush an officer against a door during the chaos, according to court documents and law enforcement sources.
The man allegedly seen holding the police riot shield in the widely watched video of the attack on the Capitol officer has been identified as Patrick Edward McCaughey III, a 23-year-old from Ridgefield, Connecticut.
He was arrested Tuesday night in Westchester County's South Salem on federal charges filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
McCaughey is accused of being in front of the line of rioters seen in that video and using a clear police riot shield to push the officer's left side. The officer ended up pinned between the shield allegedly held by McCaughey and the lower west terrace door as he appeared to cry out in pain, officials say.
As McCaughey allegedly had the officer pinned, another rioter allegedly violently ripped off the officer's gas mask, exposing the officer's bloodied mouth.
“Even after days of seeing so many shocking and horrific scenes from the siege on the U.S. Capitol, the savage beating of D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Hodges stands out for the perpetrator’s blatant disregard for human life,” Steven D’Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office said in a statement. “Patrick McCaughey’s actions were violent, barbaric, and completely out of control. The FBI will relentlessly pursue individuals who took part in this activity and we will continue our unwavering commitment to ensure all those responsible for assaults on law enforcement officers are brought to justice.”
McCaughey was also seen in images of the rampage posted to social media, including one showing him standing on scaffolding outside. Other show him smiling or screaming as he and other alleged rioters charged at officers.
On Jan.16, a witness was telephonically interviewed and reported
having known McCaughey since they were children, although they last saw McCaughey in person about one year ago, the complaint states.
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However, according to the complaint, the witness heard from mutual friends that McCaughey attended the events at the United States Capitol and provided copies of four pictures and a short video sent by McCaughey to mutual friends. The pictures and video all appear to have been taken on a cellular phone at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6.
Charges against McCaughey include assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees, civil disorder, entering a restricted building or grounds and violent entry or disorderly conduct.
McCaughey appeared via teleconference in federal court in White Plains later Wednesday, where he was ordered detained as the judge cited his "extraordinarily disturbing" behavior in the video as a danger to the community.
Federal prosecutor Benjamin Gianforti said in court that the "video is crystal clear, you can clearly see the defendant's face and you can see Officer Hodges face as he's screaming out in pain." McCaughey's attorney said that his client has been unemployed since 2019 and currently lives with his parents.
Earlier Wednesday, the FBI arrested another man in the case. Samuel Fisher, 35, also known as Brad Holiday, was taken into custody on East 90th Street near York Avenue on federal charges out of D.C. including disorderly conduct on restricted grounds and unlawful entry on restricted grounds, court documents say.
According to a criminal complaint by the Department of Justice, Fisher allegedly posted photos to Facebook. In one of the photographs, he is depicted in a large crowd on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, unlawfully in a restricted area. In another photograph, he is holding at least one firearm in front of a flag in a non-specific room that states, "Don't Tread on Trump, Keep America Great," and captioned "can't wait to bring a liberal back to this freedom palace."
Based on Facebook posts and direct messages, according to the complaint, Fisher communicated that he "traveled to Washington, D.C. and thereafter participated in the events at the U.S. Capitol that did impede, disrupt, and disturb the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, that is, the certification proceedings underway inside the U.S. Capitol.; and that while Fisher was in Washington, D.C., he was in possession of multiple firearms and a bulletproof vest." The complaint also alleges that the IP addresses associated with some of the social media posts indicate Fisher made them while he was in or around Washington, D.C. on the day of the siege.
Additionally, on Jan. 6, Fisher allegedly sent a photo of firearms. According to the complaint, "On the same day, he wrote: “I’m Going To the parking garage super early” “Leaving s--- in there maybe except pistol” “And if it kicks off I got a Vest and My Rifle.”"
The complaint further alleges that on Jan. 7, Fisher was asked on Facebook, “Did you get to the frontlines?" to which Fischer replied “i was there . . . it was awesome” / “it was dangerous and violent” / “people died . . . but it was f---ing great if you ask me . . . i got tear gassed and pepper sprayed” / “seeing cops literally run . . . was the coolest thing ive ever seen in my life” / “cant divulge too much here” / “but f--- the dc police” / “in all seriousness and get ready . . . get in shape and see if you can find someone that knows medical/veteran w/ combat
experience.”
He was ordered held without bail during a teleconference in Manhattan federal court later Wednesday, where prosecutors said there were three firearms (a shotgun, a semi-automatic and a hand gun) on him at the time of his arrest, as well as more than 1,000 rounds of ammo and two bulletproof vests. While Fisher has so far only been charged with misdemeanors, prosecutors said they plan on adding more federal charges soon. They also said that he has been bouncing from residence to residence lately, living out of his car at times and having previously posted that he was giving up living in NYC.
Prosecutors read some of Fisher's blogs posts aloud at the hearing, which addressed betrayals and communists taking over the country — and that now-former president Donald Trump need only signal them and they would take action to physically remove them.
Fisher's attorney's did not contest that their client was present at the protests at the Capitol, but said there were no claims he was inside and no proof he took any firearms to the Capitol. The defense attorneys also said they did not plan on pleading guilty to any of the charges, and that their client has no criminal history and has a young child.
Fisher and McCaughey are the latest to be cuffed in the tri-state area in connection with the violent siege as the tally of criminal cases continues to grow.
A former New York fashion student accused of participating in the riot and posting on social media about “storming” the building appeared in court Tuesday, as did a retired FDNY firefighter, who was charged over the weekend for his alleged involvement in the violent siege. Other arrests in New York have been reported from the upstate and Hudson Valley areas.
