An Arizona man seen in photos wearing a costume with a painted face and a fur hat topped by horns as a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol building was taken into custody Saturday.
Jacob Anthony Chansley, 32, more commonly known as Jake Angeli, had become a staple in his costume at pro-Trump protests across the country.
He is charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
Chansley is among dozens of people arrested in the wake of the Capitol invasion by a large mob of supporters enraged over Trump’s election loss who forced lawmakers to halt their voting to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory and go into hiding for hours. The rioters took over the House and Senate chambers, smashed windows and waved Trump, American and Confederate flags.
Arizona Republic’s website quickly identified the horned man as Angeli, a familiar face at pro-Trump rallies and a purported QAnon conspiracy theorist sometimes referred to as the “QAnon Shaman.”
In the past year, the Arizona resident has been spotted — often in costume — at various demonstrations across the country, including a Washington D.C. protest after Joe Biden’s presidential win in November.
In a press release Saturday the Department of Justice stated that Angeli was carrying a six-foot spear during the mob takeover.
Angeli was previously photographed multiple times at the Arizona State Capitol — and in one instance, during a pro-Trump rally in February, held a sign that read, “Q Sent Me,” according to the Arizona Republic.
Also facing charges, according to the DOJ, is a Florida man seen carrying a lectern through the U.S. Capitol during the riot. KTLA sister station WFLA reports 36-year-old Adam Johnson was taken into custody in Pinellas County.
A third suspect, Derrick Evans, 35, of West Virginia, was charged with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol Grounds. Evans is a newly-elected West Virginia Republican state delegate.
