After visiting Washington, D.C., court records reveal that a person was detained on Monday near the Capitol Building while holding Molotov cocktails. C. allegedly murder House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La ). ), Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
An affidavit filed by Peter Campopiano, a United States Capitol Police special agent, identified the suspect in Monday’s arrest as Ryan Michael “Reily ” English. According to the petition, English approached a police officer at about 3:12 p. m. I said,” I would like to turn myself in, ” and was standing next to the Capitol Building. English furthermore informed the officer that he had two Molotov cocktails and multiple knives in his possession.
According to the affidavit, police discovered a knife and lighter in English’s bag and two “destructive equipment ” in his coat made of cloth and liquor bottles during a research of the suspect.
English admitted to having more Molotov cocktails in his adjacent car and informed law enforcement that he was at the Capitol while they were “Kill Scott Bessent.” Officials afterwards discovered a 750-milliliter bottle of vodka in the suspect’s car.
Additionally, law enforcement personnel discovered a request in English’s bag that read, “Judith dear lord I am so sorry. You may comprehend that I can feel my heart beating gently as I pass away. Even though this is bad, I can’t help but watch as fascists murder my sisters. I love you. This is terrible. Im so guilty. I love u. Choose continue to heal and remain intact. you may. you are powerful enough. F-ck them for pushing us too far. you dont receive this. I apologize for my lying and plotting. Please live [7 emotions ]. ”
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The petition noted that English left his home in Massachusetts on Sunday and traveled to Washington “with the intention of killing what English referred to as ‘Nazi’ Secretary of Defense, Peter Hegseth, and/or the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, and/or burning down the Heritage Foundation. ” The special adviser explained that English’s steps were “specifically to ‘depose’ these democratic practices and give a message. ”
According to the affidavit, during a stop on his way to Washington, the suspect “observed Reddit posts mentioning the confirmation hearings of the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, ” and “altered ” his original target. Additionally, according to the affidavit, “in the function that English was able to get close enough to Bessent, English did had stabbed him with the weapon that English had brought from home. ”
After surveilling the area around the Capitol, English “surmised ” that he would “have to kill, at least, three US Capitol Police Officers to get to Bessent and kill him, ” according to the affidavit. He expressed his acceptance and satisfaction with the possibility of death by a police officer, while acknowledging that his actions would “likely ” have put him in “grave danger.” ”
