Listen to this articleThe Department of Justice
- A Vermont man was arrested on a number of Jan. 6 charges this week.
- Prosecutors say William Arthur Nichols Jr. hit cops with a protect throughout the assault.
- Nichols’ scuttle with one officer left them “screaming in pain,” in keeping with court docket paperwork.
A Vermont man was arrested on a slew of Jan. 6 charges this week after prosecutors said he wielded a protect against a line of cops defending the US Capitol in an assault that left a minimum of one officer “screaming in pain.”
William Arthur Nichols Jr., 41, is charged with seven counts stemming from his role in the Capitol riot, together with assaulting officers with a harmful weapon, disorderly conduct, and interesting in bodily violence with a harmful weapon. He was arrested in Vermont on Wednesday, in keeping with a Justice Department press release.
Prosecutors said Nichols recognized himself by his full identify in an open source video “interview” from the scene of the revolt in which he claimed to be from “the socialist paradise of Vermont.”
Donning a camouflage jacket and tan fight vest, Nichols was noticed in a number of situations of open source footage and body-worn digicam video participating in violent interactions with cops on Jan. 6, 2021, in keeping with court docket information reviewed by Insider.
Prosecutors said Nichols wielded a big round protect as he labored his way to the entrance of the gang the place a line of officers was defending the constructing. Nichols then joined different rioters as they initiated contact with the police, utilizing his protect to hit an officer and inflicting him to lose his steadiness, in keeping with court docket information.
Footage shows a number of officers making an attempt to fend off Nichols by pushing back against his protect, prosecutors said. In one video clip, Nichols grabbed an officer’s helmet from behind and pulled him backward, inflicting him to stumble, in keeping with investigators.
The officer and Nichols then wrestled over the protect and Nichols forcefully pushed the officer and tried to carry on to the protect. Body-worn footage shows different officers making an attempt to subdue Nichols and going to rescue the officer concerned in the scuttle who was left “screaming in pain” from an injury sustained in the assault, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
Nichols didn’t instantly reply to makes an attempt to achieve him for remark.
At least 978 people have been charged in reference to the assault to this point, and more than 470 people have pleaded responsible.
