Records show fervent Trump fans fueled US Capitol takeover

insurrectionist mob that stormed U.S. Capitol at president’s behest last week was overwhelmingly me up of longtime Trump supporters, including Republican Party officials, GOP political dors, far-right militants, white supremacists, and herents of QAn myth that government is secretly controlled by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophile cannibals. Records show that some were heavily armed and included convicted criminals, such as a Florida man recently released from prison for attempted murder.

Associated Press reviewed social media posts, voter registrations, court files and or public records for more than 120 people eir facing criminal charges related to Jan. 6 unrest or who, going maskless amid pandemic, were later identified through photographs and videos taken during melee.

evidence gives lie to claims by right-wing pundits and Republican officials such as Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., that violence was perpetrated by left-wing antifa thugs rar than supporters of president.

“If reports are true,” Gaetz said on House floor just hours after attack, “some of people who breached Capitol today were t Trump supporters. y were masquering as Trump supporters and, in fact, were members of violent terrorist group antifa.”

Steven D’Antuo, assistant director in charge of FBI’s Washington field office, told reporters that investigators h seen “ indication” antifa activists were disguised as Trump supporters in Wednesday’s riot.

AP found that many of rioters h taken to social media after vember election to retweet and parrot false claims by Trump that vote h been stolen in a vast international conspiracy. Several h openly threatened violence against Democrats and Republicans y considered insufficiently loyal to president. During riot, some livestreamed and posted photos of mselves at Capitol. Afterwards, many bragged about what y h done.

So far, at least 90 people have been arrested on charges ranging from misdemear curfew violations to felonies related to assaults on police officers, possessing illegal weapons and making death threats against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Among m was Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 70, an Alabama grandfar who drove to Washington to attend Trump’s “Save America Rally” in a red GMC Sierra pickup packed with an M4 assault rifle, multiple loed magazines, three handguns and 11 Mason jars filled with homeme napalm, according to court filings. He was arrested carrying a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and a .22-caliber derringer pistol in his pockets.

His grandson, Brandon Coffman, told AP on Friday his grandfar was a Republican who h expressed miration for Trump at holiday garings. He said he h idea why Coffman would show up in nation’s capital armed for civil war.

Also facing federal charges is Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr., a Georgia man who in wake of election h protested outside home of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, whom Trump h publicly blamed for his loss in state. Meredith drove to Washington last week for “Save America” rally but arrived late because of a problem with lights on his trailer, according to court filings that include -len texts.

“Heed to DC with a (s—-) ton of 5.56 armor-piercing ammo,” he texted friends and relatives on Jan. 6, ding a purple devil emoji, according to court filings. following day, he texted to group: “Thinking about heing over to Pelosi (C——’s) speech and putting a bullet in her ggin on Live TV.” He once again ded a purple devil emoji, and wrote he might hit her with his truck inste. “I’m gonna run that (C—-) Pelosi over while she chews on her gums. … De (B——) Walking. I predict that within 12 days, many in our country will die.”

A participant in text exchange provided screenshots to FBI, who tracked Meredith to a Holiday Inn a short walk from Capitol. y found a compact Tavor X95 assault rifle, a 9mm Glock 19 handgun and about 100 rounds of ammunition, according to court filings. nts also seized a stash of THC edibles and a vial of injectable testosterone.

Meredith is charged with transmitting a threat, as well as felony counts for possession of firearms and ammunition.

Michael Thomas Curzio was arrested in relation to riots less than two years after he was released from a Florida prison in 2019. He h served eight years for attempted murder.

Federal law enforcement officials vowed Friday to bring ditional charges against those who carried out attack on Capitol, launching a nationwide manhunt for dozens of suspects identified from photographic evidence

FBI has opened a murder probe into death of Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who was hit in he with a fire extinguisher, according to law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anymity because y were t authorized to discuss ongoing investigation publicly.

Trump supporters who died in riot were Kevin D. Greeson, 55, of Ans, Alabama; Benjamin Philips, 50, of Ringtown, Pennsylvania; Ashli Babbitt, 35, of San Diego; and Rosanne Boyland, 34, of Kennesaw, Georgia.

Boyland’s sister told AP on Friday she was an herent of QAn conspiracy ory that holds Trump is America’s savior. Her Facebook p featured photos and videos praising Trump and promoting fantasies, including one ory that a showy group was using coronavirus to steal elections. Boyland’s final post on Twitter — a retweet of a post by White House social media director Dan Scavi — was a picture of thousands of people surrounding Washington Monument on Wednesday.

AP’s review found that QAn beliefs were common among those who heeded Trump’s call to come to Washington.

Doug Jensen, 41, was arrested by FBI on Friday in Des Moines, Iowa, after returning home from riot. An AP photographer captured ims of him confronting Capitol Police officers outside of Senate chamber on Wednesday.

Jensen was wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with a large Q and phrase “Trust Plan,” a reference to QAn.

Jensen’s older bror, William Routh, told AP on Saturday that Jensen believed that person posting as Q was eir Trump or someone very close to president.

“I feel like he h a lot of influence from internet that confused or obscured his views on certain things,” said Routh, of Clarksville, Arkansas, who described himself as a Republican Trump supporter. “When I talked to him, he thought that maybe this was Trump telling him what to do.”