Idaho man charged in connection with Capitol riot

WASHINGTON (KIFI) - Federal law enforcement officials arrested an Idaho man for assaulting law enforcement officers, among other charges, during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

The District of Columbia unsealed a complaint Thursday against Duke Edward Wilson, 66, of Nampa.

Wilson is charged with entering and remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees; parading, demonstrating or picketing a Capitol building; obstruction of an official proceeding and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.

According to court documents, Wilson entered the Lower West Terrace tunnel area of the U.S. Capitol building shortly before 3 p.m. where rioters were pushing against law enforcement officers to break in. Publicly available video posted to YouTube as well as body-worn camera (BWC) and surveillance footage shows Wilson assaulting one U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officer and one Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer.

As depicted in the video footage, Wilson forcibly pulled on Capitol doors and was sprayed with a chemical irritant by officers.

He then picked up what appeared to be a several-foot-long PVC pipe and began jabbing officers with it before throwing the pipe at officers.

Wilson appeared to assist others in their attempts to steal riot shields and push officers to the ground while lingering in the tunnel for nearly 14 minutes.

The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office arrested Wilson Thursday.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Salt Lake City and Washington Field Offices, along with the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department, who listed Wilson as #87 on their seeking information photos.

Wilson is at least the fourth Idaho resident to be charged in the insurrection so far.