Robert Sanford, 55, was arrested Thursday morning in Pennsylvania, the Justice Department said. Court documents say Sanford was seen in a video carrying a “red object, which appears to be a fire extinguisher”, as he passed over a wall on the lower west terrace of the Capitol. He allegedly threw the fire extinguisher at the police, hitting one, wearing a helmet, before bouncing off and hitting two others.
Officer William Young said he “felt a hard hit on the back of the helmet,” according to court documents, and saw a fire extinguisher on the floor, but did not see who hit it. Young was evaluated at the hospital and released to return to service.
The records say Sanford was identified on Tuesday by the FBI’s Pennsylvania branch and charged on Wednesday in the United States District Court.
He faces four charges: intentionally entering or staying in any restricted building or land without legal authority; disorderly or disturbing conduct due to the Capitol; civil disorder; and assaulting, resisting or preventing certain officers from performing official duties, the documents say.
It was not clear whether he has a lawyer.
So far, more than 30 people have been arrested on federal charges, with some of the defendants being accused of bringing weapons to the Capitol and others having been photographed looting the building. Many are accused of illegal or violent entry.