Man With Confederate Flag in Capitol Mob and Ex-Firefighter Who Attacked Police Have Been Arrested

Retired firefighter Robert Sanford was filmed throwing a fire extinguisher at police during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, and now he's facing federal charges.

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Image via Getty/Joseph Prezioso

capitol riot

Retired firefighter/MAGA mob member Robert Sanford was filmed throwing a fire extinguisher at police during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, and now he's facing federal charges.

The 55-year-old was arrested on Thursday on four federal charges, including assaulting officers engaging in their official duties, civil disorder, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and knowingly enterting a restricted building. Court documents, as ABC 6 reported, show that he was identified to the authorities by a friend from Chester, Pennsylvania. They added that Sanford had traveled to Washington D.C. "on a bus with a group of people" who "had gone to the White House and listened to President Donald J. Trump's speech and then had followed the President's instructions and gone to the Capitol." 

"While Officer [William] Young was on duty and attempting to control the crowd, he felt a hard strike to the back of his helmet," an FBI agent said of the incident. "When he turned to see where the blow had originated, Officer Young saw a fire extinguisher on the ground but could not determine who had struck him. Officer Young was subsequently evaluated at a hospital and cleared to return to duty." 

BREAKING—They’ve arrested the man who threw the fire extinguisher at the police on Capitol siege day. Who is he? Retired firefighter Robert Sanford of Chester, PA—he faces three federal felony charges including assaulting a police officer. Oy. pic.twitter.com/2QQv6Hod9g

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) January 14, 2021

Sanford is far from the only individual from the Jan. 6 riot to be arrested. FBI Baltimore confirmed that Kevin Seefried of Delaware has been arrested after he was seen carrying a confederate flag in the U.S. Capitol. Pictures of Seefried circulated on social media the day of the failed insurrection, which was incited by Trump's baseless, endless claims of election fraud. The charges he faces have not been made public yet.

Seefried's son Hunter was also arrested. Guess Rudy Giuliani can say there's a Hunter behind bars now, even if it's not the one he wanted.

FBI Baltimore: Man carrying Confederate flag in Capitol last week turned himself in today in Wilmington. Name is Kevin Seefried. Son Hunter also arrested. pic.twitter.com/ZTSGzbesDF

— Jayne Miller (@jemillerbalt) January 14, 2021

On Wednesday, a man photographed in an anti-semitic "Camp Auschwitz" hoodie was arrested, while two Virginia police officers were also arrested for their roles in the violence.

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