Oregon Man Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach (original) (raw)

Press Release

Monday, September 11, 2023

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia

Defendant Assaulted Police with Pipe in Lower West Terrace Tunnel

WASHINGTON — An Oregon man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Ryan Wilson, 40, of Athena, Oregon, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon. Wilson is also charged with several misdemeanors, including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

Wilson was arrested today in Portland, Oregon, and will make his initial appearance in the District of Oregon.

According to court documents, Wilson was identified among the crowd of rioters in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel on Jan. 6, 2021. Wilson wore a distinctive plaid button-down shirt and, at times, a black balaclava. Wilson was captured on Capitol building surveillance footage outside the tunnel entrance, standing next to his father, Duke Wilson, at approximately 2:56 p.m.

Court documents say that Wilson and his father made their way into the Tunnel toward the police line and, at about 2:58 p.m., Wilson threw a water bottle at the police. By approximately 3:00 p.m., Wilson was standing directly in front of the police line, separated only by shields that the police officers were using to defend themselves. At that time, a rioter behind Wilson began to thrust a pipe toward the police. Wilson then grabbed the pipe and rammed it toward the police repeatedly and forcefully. Wilson then took steps to re-position himself and used the pipe to thrust near the heads and faces of the officers.

The police then deployed OC spray, which hit Wilson. He then threw the pipe toward the police line, turned around, and exited the Tunnel.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Portland and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 32 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 396 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Updated September 11, 2023

Press Release Number: 23-538