Two Florida men, identified as Jarod Hawks, 43, from Port Orange, and John Padgett, 40, from Edgewater, were apprehended for their roles in the January 6 Capitol riot, facing a slew of charges, including assaulting federal officers with dangerous weapons. Released by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the accusations stem from their alleged behavior, which interrupted Congressional proceedings meant to affirm the 2020 presidential election results.
According to the documents filed in court and reported, the two individuals were caught on CCTV footage and other visual records as they joined the fray that unfolded at the very heart of American democracy. They initially smashed through the Peace Circle barriers, resulting in injuries to police officers, before proceeding to offensive actions at the Capitol's West Front by using a large metal object to attack law enforcement. Reports by the FBI deemed credible stated that Hawks and Padgett used a bike rack as a ramming tool against the police defenses, indirectly through other rioters breaching the line.
The prosecution's account describes the two men as persistent, pushing aside barriers to make way for more rioters trying to break into the Capitol. Video evidence shows Hawks and Padgett using a large object as both a shield and a battering ram, pushing into the police lines and helping to break down security.
Both Hawks and Padgett have been taken into custody by the FBI in Florida, where they first appeared before the court. The broader investigation encompassing their indictment spans multiple law enforcement bodies, receiving notable contributions from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department while being led by the FBI's Jacksonville and Washington Field Offices.
Charged with high-level felonies, they also face a series of misdemeanors, suggesting a substantial penalty if convicted. The FBI has called upon the public to offer tips, with an ongoing tally of more than 1,561 individuals charged in connection to the Capitol breach, to reinforce this inquiry's extensive and enduring scope.
