FBI Raids Home Of Rachel Powell, Mercer County Mother Of 8 Suspected In Capitol Attack
SANDY LAKE, Pa. (KDKA) - The FBI raided the home of Rachel Powell, a Mercer County mother of eight suspected of playing a role in the assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Agents swarmed the vacant house Thursday searching for any evidence to help build a case against Powell and any clues that may indicate where she may have gone.
Neighbors say Powell and some of the younger children have not been seen for a week or more and are apparently hiding in an unknown location.
Until Thursday, the FBI has declined to even call Powell a suspect and is now offering only a short statement, indicating they secured a search warrant for the raid on the house and they're looking for her.
"We are conducting court authorized law enforcement activity at that location. We are seeking the whereabouts of Rachel Powell," the FBI said.
Any arrest or fugitive warrant would be under seal and will not be made public until Powell is located or turns herself in. The raid, however, all but confirms the beliefs Powell is the infamous lady with a bullhorn.
FBI raids Mercer County home of woman suspected in Capitol assault. "We are conducting court authorized law enforcement activity at that location. We are seeking the whereabouts of Rachel Powell." @KDKA pic.twitter.com/jBreTvlAse
— Andy Sheehan (@AndySheehankdka) February 4, 2021
Powell can clearly be seen in videos taking a battering ram to the Capitol in the Jan. 6 assault. She's become known as the lady with the bullhorn, seeming to have knowledge of the Capitol building's floor plan, instructing insurrectionists where to go.
The FBI has posted pictures of her, seeking the public's help.
Help the #FBI identify this woman who allegedly unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol on January 6. If you have information, submit a tip to https://t.co/buMd8vYXzH. When providing a tip on any of the below photos, please refer to photograph 110. https://t.co/QkV52OYdZ2 @FBIWFO pic.twitter.com/iANB6bZ96z
— FBI (@FBI) January 17, 2021
She is of special concern to federal investigators because she appears to have advanced knowledge of building, indicating pre-planning of the assault but she denies this in a piece from the New Yorker.
Neighbors were shocked by the raid and the reasons for it.
"It's crazy. We're Republican but we'd never do something like that. Biden's the president right now. Live with it. Get over it," said Teresa Chisholm of Sandy Lake.