A former Army Special Forces soldier was arrested on Wednesday and charged with several crimes in connection with his reported attacks on Capitol Police agents during the January 6 riot, including allegedly throwing a flagpole at an officer.
Jeffrey McKellop is charged with throwing a flagpole with the sharp end forward as if it were a spear, according to the FBI complaint against McKellop filed by an FBI agent and reported by Politico.
The complaint says the attack resulted in a crack in the officer’s face.
The FBI alleges that McKellop assaulted three additional agents, according to the 27-page complaint.
According to a witness who helped identify him, McKellop was depicted wearing the same helmet and ballistic vest on the day of the uprising he wore while deploying in a combat zone in 2018. His identity was further confirmed by additional witnesses and his driver’s license, the complaint said. .
McKellop is one of more than 30 military veterans accused of their alleged role in the riot, but is Special Operations’ first, The Washington Post reported. He served in the military for 22 years, including one from 1993 to 2010, during which time he served as a mechanic and communications sergeant for the special forces, the Post reported.
Minister of Defence Lloyd Austin Last month, the military stepped up efforts to curb extremism in the ranks following that message nearly one in five participants charged in connection with the riot has some sort of military connection.
Greg Hunter and Seth Peritz, presumably McKellop’s attorneys, did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
Updated: 9:47 PM