By Binghui Huang, Ryan Martin and Tim Evans, Indianapolis Star | A heavy metal guitarist who was photographed inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection turned himself in to the FBI Sunday afternoon, according to Indianapolis FBI spokeswoman Chris Bavender.
Jon Ryan Schaffer, a native of Indiana and founder of the band Iced Earth, is accused of using “bear spray,” a pepper-based irritant sold by many outdoor retailers, on police officers as rioters forced their way into the Capitol building. A federal statement of facts in his case says Schaffer was seen in photographs and video “engaging in verbal altercations with Capitol Police insider the Capitol building” and holding a container of bear spray.
He had been featured on an FBI poster seeking the public’s help in identifying protesters. Multiple people contacted by IndyStar identified Schaffer as the man seen in a photograph at the Capitol.
Bavender said Schaffer faces six charges, including engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, Bavender told IndyStar. He also faces charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disrupting the orderly conduct of government business, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, and demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
The U.S. Department of Justice has posted charges against dozens of people for crimes committed at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 on its website.
Five people died on Jan. 6 when a mob, fueled by President Donald Trump’s false claims of a “stolen” election, invaded the Capitol in an effort to stop lawmakers from confirming President-elect Joseph Biden’s victory. A police officer was among those killed.
On the FBI poster, the image of Schaffer is labeled Photograph #25. Schaffer is wearing an Oath Keepers ballcap in the photograph. The group characterizes itself as a militia of former law enforcement and military personnel, but is called an extremist anti-government group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Read the whole article here:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/iced-earth-guitarist-jon-schaffer-225701958.html
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer arrested by FBI after Capitol riot.
Note: The rest of Iced Earth does not agree with Schaffer’s thinking.
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[Thank you to Alex Teitz, http://www.femmusic.com, for contributing this article.]
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