Report: Seattle man charged with assaulting federal officer during US Capitol riot
Jan 10, 2021, 1:50 PM | Updated: 1:52 pm
A Seattle man was charged with assaulting a federal police officer during a siege of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, according to The Seattle Times.
2 Seattle police officers in Washington DC during riot placed on leave
According to the Department of Justice, Mark Leffingwell was charged on Thursday with “knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; assault on a federal law enforcement officer; and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.”
Leffingwell allegedly struck the officer in the helmet and chest when the officer tried to stop him, according to the DOJ.
The Times reports a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington D.C. confirmed on Sunday that Leffingwell is from Seattle. He stated as such on the record during his court proceeding on Friday.
In a criminal complaint, Capitol Police officer Daniel Amendola stated, “When he was deterred from advancing further into the building, Leffingwell punched me repeatedly with a closed fist. I was struck in the helmet that I was wearing and in the chest.”
Amendola said Leffingwell apologized for striking him before being read his Miranda rights, according to the Times.
Leffingwell was released on his personal recognizance to his wife and intended to return to Seattle. The Times reports the judge ordered him to stay away from Washington D.C. He is “required to call into pretrial services on a weekly basis pending trial,” according to the Times.
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