A man from New York was charged on Monday for his alleged role in the Capitol riot, and the FBI has to thank his college jacket. Brian Gundersen, 26, was identified after several people recognized the jacket from the January 6 riot photos and contacted the FBI, according to court documents filed on Monday.
Photos and videos of the riot show a man wearing a school jacket from Byram Hills High School in Armonk, New York, with a number on his left sleeve, according to a fact statement accompanying the criminal complaint.
One of the first people to contact the FBI was the chief of police in North Castle, New York, who said that several people in the city recognized the jacket, according to the statement. The chief allegedly later identified Gundersen as the man wearing the jacket.
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When the FBI searched Gundersen’s name in its tip database, authorities found several tips that showed photos of Gundersen wearing the jacket on other occasions, including a photo with Tomi Lahren, according to the statement.
A person close to Gundersen told the FBI that he was “an avid supporter of former President Trump,” the statement said. The person reportedly said the pair traveled from Pennsylvania to DC together, but were separated on the day of the riot. The person said that Gundersen later claimed that he “walked the halls, but was never violent while on Capitol Hill”.
When interviewed by the FBI, Gundersen initially denied entering the Capitol building, but admitted that he was the one wearing the Byram Hills college jacket, the statement said. In a subsequent interview the same day, Gundersen reportedly admitted to entering the Capitol building, but said he was “pushed into the building by the crowd” and remained there for approximately 10 minutes.
An analysis of the FBI phone found messages written by Gundersen on January 5 stating that he and others “may be able to break into the [W]blow [H]dare and take control, “according to the statement. He is also accused of sending a text” Look at these frightened **** “next to a photo of members of Congress protecting themselves during the attack and writing : “We all attacked the American capital [sic] and tried to take over the government “in the days after the attack.
Telephone records also showed that Gundersen did a Google search for “dosi office” on January 6, the statement said.
On January 13, Gundersen reportedly sent a photo of you to someone wearing the Byram Hills high school jacket displayed on CNN and said, “They may have found me.”
Gundersen faces charges, including intentionally entering or staying in a restricted building, engaging in disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and parading, demonstrating or picketing Capitol buildings.
Clare Hymes contributed reporting