A California man was indicted Friday on charges of assaulting law enforcement and other crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Evan Neumann, 49, of Mill Valley, California, was indicted in the District of Columbia on a total of 14 counts, including engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. Neumann initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed on March 23. He has yet to make a court appearance. He fled from the United States on Feb. 16 and is currently believed to be in Belarus. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
According to previously filed court documents, video footage shows Neumann putting on a gas mask while standing near law enforcement officers in front of the barricades at the base of the West Front of the Capitol Building. At approximately 1:27 p.m., Neumann removed his gas mask and began verbally abusing law enforcement attempting to protect the building. Over a period of approximately 30 minutes, he stated, among other things, that officers will be “overrun” by the crowd and that, “I’m willing to die, are you?”
At approximately 1:57 p.m., according to the documents, Neumann grabbed a metal barricade with his hand and shoved it into the line of officers from the Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department. After striking the officers with the barricade and also with his fist, Neumann, now joined by others, broke down the barricades. He then used the barricade as a battering ram, rushing toward the officers. Neumann eventually entered the U.S. Capitol building. Additional footage shows that Neumann remained on restricted grounds past 5 p.m., continuing to resist repeated orders by law enforcement to leave the Capitol steps.
Throughout the afternoon, according to the indictment, Neumann allegedly assaulted three officers from the Metropolitan Police Department and one from the Capitol Police. In the complaint, Neumann had been charged with assaulting one of the officers; the indictment adds new charges.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Neumann as #AFO-171 in its seeking information photos, as well as the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.
In the 11 months since Jan. 6, more than 700 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 220 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Read more at the Justice Department
