Law Enforcements Response to the January 6th Events at the Capitol
Abstract
On January 6, 2021, security at the Capitol was breached by people who reportedly sought to prevent Congress from certifying the votes of the Electoral College. Some individuals clashed with law enforcement officers and for several hours occupied parts of the Capitol. At the request of District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and the U.S. Capitol Police, law enforcement agents from the Department of Justice (DOJ), along with law enforcement officers from the U.S. Park Police, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and law enforcement agencies in Maryland and Virginia, assisted with expelling the occupiers and securing the Capitol. In addition to the damage done to the Capitol, pipe bombs were found near the Democratic and Republican National Committees' offices. A car with 11 explosive devices was found near the Capitol. Some reportedly brought firearms and ammunition on to the Capitol grounds. DOJ is jointly investigating criminal cases stemming from the events at the Capitol with MPD and the Capitol Police. (For more information on federal criminal statutes that might be implicated by the unrest at the Capitol, see CRS Legal Sidebar LSB10564.) It has also been reported that DOJ and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have established a sedition and conspiracy task force to investigate and pursue charges related to the January 6th events at the Capitol. (For more information on people charged with offenses stemming from these events, see https://www.justice.gov/opa/investigations-regarding-violence-capitol.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 22, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1147493
Entities
People
- Nathan James
Organizations
- Library of Congress