A Michigan man, allegedly seen attacking the police with a hockey stick during disturbances at the United States Capitol, was arrested on Thursday after FBI agents received involuntary help from the suspect’s father who posted on Facebook, officials said. .
Michael Joseph Foy, 29, was caught in the Detroit suburb of Wixom at about 6:30 am, according to the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office.
He appeared briefly in court about seven hours later and was ordered to remain in prison until his next hearing on Monday afternoon, officials said.
Foy was reportedly among the hooligans, instigated by former President Donald Trump, lying about electoral fraud, which invaded the U.S. Capitol on January 6. They were able to delay, but not prevent, Congress from formally accepting the results of the Electoral College that attested to the victory of President Joe Biden.
He faces charges of entering a restricted building, obstructing a police officer, preventing federal officials, assisting, inciting and obstructing official Congressional procedures, officials said.
The FBI said it had a video showing Foy targeting members of the Metropolitan Police Department with the hockey stick.
“Foy begins to attack a group of metropolitan police officers who were helping to protect the US Capitol, who were overthrown and dragged into the crowd of protesters,” officials said in a sworn statement.
“This attack continues for approximately 16 seconds until Foy is knocked down by another rowdy. At that point, Foy circles back through the crowd, lowers his hood, which reveals a clear image of his face.”
The agents were taken to Foy thanks to photos of the suspect posted on Facebook by his father, Joseph Foy, the FBI said.
The father posted a photo of Foy, carrying a “Trump 2020” flag – affixed to a hockey stick – in front of the Washington Monument on January 6, according to the statement. In another image, the suspect was covered with an American flag.
Foy originally entered FBI radar when an informant told agents he was involved in the attack that killed a Capitol police officer, according to court documents. But the statement made it clear that “there is no evidence that the suspect killed a police officer”.
“However, we have included this fact to explain the investigative steps that were taken later”, according to the statement.
Members of the Foy family could not be reached immediately for comment on publicly listed telephone numbers in Wixom and Westland, Michigan. A federal public defender represented Foy at his first appearance and the lawyer was not available for comment late Thursday afternoon.
Ali Gostanian and Matteo Moschella contributed.