Capitol rioter charged over threat to assassinate NY lawmaker
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New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was the target of a threat made by a Trump supporter who stormed the US Capitol on Jan 6.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON • A Donald Trump supporter who stormed the Capitol on Jan 6 threatened on social media to assassinate New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that day and also threatened the Capitol Police officer who fatally shot a woman as she tried to enter the building, federal prosecutors said.
The man, Garret Miller, 34, from Richardson, Texas, was arrested last Wednesday and charged with, among other things, threats, knowingly entering a restricted building, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to a criminal complaint.
Prosecutors said Miller made numerous threatening remarks online, including one instance in which he commented "next time we bring the guns" on a Twitter video showing rioters exiting a Capitol building.
Surveillance video from inside the Capitol, a selfie and a video posted by Miller, as well as comments he made on social media, showed he had been part of a crowd that had pushed past the police to enter the Capitol, disrupting Congress as it was certifying Mr Trump's election loss to Mr Joe Biden, the complaint states.
In one instance, Miller posted a photo of himself inside the Capitol, prompting someone on Facebook to comment: "Bro you got in?! Nice!"
Miller replied: "Just wanted to incriminate myself a little lol."
Miller also threatened Ms Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat, after she wrote "Impeach" on Twitter on Jan 6, the complaint states.
Miller responded with his own tweet that said "Assassinate AOC (Ms Ocasio-Cortez's initials)", according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The criminal complaint included screenshots of Miller's tweets. Prosecutors said Miller had also threatened the Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt as she stuck her head through the frame of a broken window leading to the Speaker's Lobby.
Miller's lawyer F. Clinton Broden said his client had not been asked to enter a plea yet and that his detention hearing was set for today.
NYTIMES, REUTERS
