A former Army Special Forces soldier was arrested on Wednesday and charged with several crimes related to reports of assaults against Capitol police during the January 6 riot, including allegedly throwing a flagpole at an officer.
Jeffrey McKellop is accused of launching a flagpole with the sharp point forward, as if it were a spear, according to the FBI complaint against McKellop by a special FBI agent and reported by the Politician.
The complaint says the attack resulted in a laceration on the policeman’s face.
The FBI says McKellop assaulted three additional police officers, according to the 27-page complaint.
According to a witness who helped identify him, McKellop was photographed wearing the same helmet and ballistic vest on the day of the insurrection he wore when deployed in a combat zone in 2018. His identity was confirmed by additional witnesses and his ID card. driver. the claim states.
McKellop is one of more than 30 military veterans accused of his alleged roles in the riot, but he is the first in Special Operations, The Washington Post reported. He served in the Army for 22 years, including an enlistment from 1993 to 2010, during which he served as a Special Forces communications sergeant and sergeant, the Post reported.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last month intensified military efforts to contain extremism in the ranks after reports that almost one in five participants accused of the mutiny has some kind of military connection.
Greg Hunter and Seth Peritz, believed to be McKellop’s lawyers, did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
Updated: 21:47