A Bethesda man was arrested and faces charges related to Jan. 6, 2021, including assaulting officers.
On Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. Capitol went under lockdown when a mob charged into the building as lawmakers were working to certify President Joe Biden’s win.
Steven Patrick Cook, 24, pushed and hit police officers that day, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. He grabbed an officer’s baton and punched another officer.
He faces felony and misdemeanor charges. Cook is charged in a criminal complaint with “two felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder,” per the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C., which is prosecuting the case along with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Misdemeanor charges include “entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.”
Multiple body-camera and open-source videos identified Cook as among the Jan. 6 Capitol “crowd of rioters” on the West Plaza.
Three people linked arms and marched into a police line and broke the line. Cook followed soon after and began assaulting police, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C.
As the assault continued, officers retreated into the “Lower West Terrace Tunnel” and Cook followed them.
He went into the tunnel, then left, and returned, taking a gas mask from another rioter to wear. He ran into the tunnel, “bull-rushing the police line and grabbing an officer’s baton.”
Cook left the area and returned again to take part in a “coordinated push” against officers.
He was arrested Saturday in Virginia. Monday was his initial court appearance in D.C.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, more than 396 people have been charged with the felony of assaulting or impeding law enforcement related to Jan. 6.
Images via statement of facts. According to the statement of facts, the images come from police body-camera.
