WASHINGTON — Injecting a new level of nuance into the high-profile indictments of accused Capitol insurrectionists, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael R. Sherwin said there is currently no direct evidence of "kill or capture" teams operating during the Jan. 6 domestic terror attack.
The comments from Washington came after federal prosecutors in Arizona argued rioters intended to “capture and assassinate” lawmakers. The government leveled the accusations specifically against Jacob Chansley, 33, of Arizona, who stormed the Capitol shirtless, with a distinctive fur horn hat and American flag face paint.
“I want to start off the bat by saying there is no direct evidence at this point of kill-capture teams and assassination,” Sherwin said on a conference call Friday with reporters. “There were appearances and two districts I believe you're making reference to I believe, Texas and Arizona. And at some of those hearings, there were other prosecutors that may be a disconnect, that may be adding information that's not directly related to what we have.”
Prosecutors in Texas also alleged Air Force veteran Larry Rendall Brock Jr. carried zip ties to the Senate floor, in order to capture or restrain members of Congress.
Yet the U.S. attorney leading the insurrection investigations said there are “bread crumbs” that suggest organization, and the understanding of the attack’s dynamics will evolve.
“Look there are there are bread crumbs of organization in terms of, maybe what was taking place outside the Capitol, went inside,” Sherwin said. “Perhaps there was some type of communication with groups of people, ingressing into the Capitol, and some coordinated activity of individuals within the Capitol.”
Officials added it would likely take weeks or months to establish evidence and a full understanding of any possible “command and control” operation moving rioters into the building.