A Connecticut man was charged with assaulting a Washington, DC, policeman, who is seen in a surprising video howling and writhing in pain as he was pushed against a doorframe during the Capitol riot earlier this month, said authorities.
Patrick McCaughey III, 23, was arrested on Tuesday in South Salem, NY, on charges of assault, resistance or impediment by police, violent entry or disorderly conduct and entry into a restricted building or grounds, according to a press release and a criminal complaint.
The Connecticut man was seen in front of a group of people pushing uniformed police at the entrance to the Capitol, including metropolitan police officer Daniel Hodges, according to a statement.
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Approximately 20 minutes after the video started, shared as part of the court documents, Hodges can be heard screaming in pain as McCaughey yells at him, “Go home,” as he and the group continue to push him.
“You see me. Go home. Talk to your friends and go home,” McCaughey tells the police officer on the video, according to court documents. “Don’t try to use that stick on me. I’m not hurting you.”
As the video continues, another rowdy man punches Hodges’ helmet and lifts it over his head to reveal the policeman’s bloody mouth. Meanwhile, McCaughey can be seen pushing the police shield – and in Hodges, court documents say.
About 21 and a half minutes into the video, McCaughey reportedly hits the officer behind Hodges and seems to tease him by saying, “Hey you, hey you, this guy is not doing very well.”
About 30 seconds later, he seems to say, “Get out of here, get out of here”, although it is unclear whether he is talking to Hodges.
Officer Daniel Hodges.
(YouTube Status Coup via McCaughey criminal complaint)
At one point during the attack on the Capitol, McCaughey said to another person, “I’m not doing anything. I’m just a normal person like everyone else,” said the deputy, citing a cell phone video. McCaughey then said, “This is our building.”
Federal officials said McCaughey also hit several other policemen with a clear plastic riot shield.
VIDEO SHOWS THE CAPITOL POLICE BEING CRUSHED DURING THE CROWD, HOWLING IN PAIN
In announcing McCaughey’s arrest, Michael R. Sherwin, the acting United States attorney for the District of Columbia, called the attack on Hodges “repulsive and essentially anti-American.”
A New York federal judge ordered McCaughey to be detained without bail on Wednesday afternoon, saying his actions were disturbing and that he posed a threat to the community. McCaughey’s case is being transferred to Washington, DC and he will remain in custody pending proceedings there early next month.
The police asked the public for help in identifying the attackers and released photos of a man later identified as McCaughey, seen at the Capitol during the January 6 violence. A witness came forward identifying McCaughey as the person in the photos.
“What this case really is about is a man who on January 6 this year reached the heart of American democracy, which is the United States Capitol, both literally and figuratively, as part of a crowd that was apparently trying to overthrow a legitimate election. “said Attorney General Benjamin Gianforte during Wednesday’s hearing via videoconference.
McCaughey’s public defender, Jason Ser, asked for the bail to be set at $ 150,000, saying his client was not as “manic and dangerous” as federal prosecutors portrayed him. Ser said other people were pushing McCaughey, and other parts of the video show McCaughey trying to help Hodges by lowering the cop’s face protection and telling another officer that Hodges was injured.
McCaughey, who has American and German citizenship, is unemployed and lives with his mother in Ridgefield, a wealthy city along the border with New York, Ser said. He was arrested in his father’s second home, where he was quarantined.
Patrick McCaughey III. (Criminal complaint)
“I think the image being promoted here, created here, focusing only on parts of the video, will certainly do Mr. McCaughey a disservice,” said Ser. “The government is emphasizing two and a half minutes of the essentially 23 years of life of the Mr. McCaughey. “
McCaughey is a high school graduate who got good grades, got the honor roll and has no criminal record, Ser said.
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More than 150 US Capitol protesters were arrested. The attack came when Congress met to certify the results of the presidential election. Five people died during the riot, including a Capitol police officer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.