In the incident that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, a guy from Pennsylvania is said to have assaulted police officers with a wooden stick, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). He was recognized by federal law enforcement due to a scar that was located over his left eye.
The 31-year-old man from Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, named Joshua Lee Atwood, was arrested on Wednesday. Both felony and misdemeanor charges have been filed against him, including attacking an officer with a lethal or dangerous weapon and civil disorder.
A statement from the Department of Justice states that Atwood is accused of attacking Capitol police officers whose duty it is to guard the Lower West Terrace Tunnel. During the certification of President Biden’s 2020 election win, members of Congress tried to enter the premises while supporters of previous President Donald Trump attempted to do the same.
A tip led federal agents to Atwood’s identity; they saw similarities between the film from the rioting and his public mugshot from his 2011 arrest in Pennsylvania. Both photos show a scar on the left side of Atwood’s forehead.
Atwood was seen on surveillance and police body cam film, according to the DOJ, striking numerous officers with a long wooden stick with considerable force.
Authorities said they found the culprit in an open-source platform picture. The suspect is shown clutching a police riot shield at the entrance of the Lower West Terrace Tunnel in the shot. The accused allegedly struck another officer’s shield with the shield. The police body camera footage also shows Atwood becoming angry and verbally abusive against the cops.
On Wednesday, Atwood made his first court appearance in the Western District of Pennsylvania. According to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s WTAE, he was brought before a West Virginia court in May 2023 on allegations of assault and armed robbery.
According to a statement made public on Wednesday by the DOJ, more than 1,387 people have been indicted in connection with the assault that occurred on January 6—the accused hail from almost every state in the nation. There are 493 people facing charges of assault or obstruction of law enforcement, and the investigation into the Capitol breach is continuing, according to the Department of Justice.
