A 24-year-old Massachusetts man faces serious charges following his arrest at the U.S. Capitol in late January. Ryan Michael English, aka "Reily," is accused of trying to seriously harm a presidential cabinet nominee. Armed with a knife and what appeared to be Molotov cocktails, he was indicted on counts of attempted assassination and carrying a dangerous weapon on the Capitol grounds, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The incident took a turn on January 27, when English approached Capitol Police at approximately 3:12 p.m. and stated, "I'd like to turn myself in." Police then discovered the knife and two makeshift incendiary devices on his person. The potential firebombs, crafted from small vodka bottles with cloth wicks, alongside a green lighter, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the charging documents, during his interaction with law enforcement, English confessed to a plot aimed at a government official scheduled to testify before the Senate. A note found in his pocket contained a message to a family member, reading, "This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters…Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying," as noted by the same press release.
Investigations have revealed that English traveled to Washington, D.C., with the intent not only to potentially carry out the attack on the cabinet nominee, but also to possibly target a think-tank based in the area. The case is currently being handled by the U.S. Capitol Police and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan. Although an indictment signals serious allegations, it's important to remember that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. English remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.
