Two brothers from Illinois charged with attacking police officers during U.S. Capitol riot
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two brothers from Illinois have been charged with joining the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, one of them accused of pushing a police officer, and the other accused of pinning down an officer with a metal barricade.
Daniel Leyden, 55, of Chicago, is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon. Joseph Leyden, 56, of LaGrange, is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers.
Federal prosecutors said the two brothers were among the rioters who clashed with police officers outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Daniel Leyden was caught on various videos during the riot, including body camera video, which showed him wearing a black headband, a green and black plaid long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and eyeglasses with a lanyard around his neck.
According to the charges, Daniel Leyden was part of a crowd that confronted police at a set of metal barricades near the Peace Circle at the Capitol around 12:50 p.m. that afternoon. He and others repeatedly lifted and pushed a metal barricade, causing a U.S. Capitol Police officer to fall, and pinning the officer under the barricade.
At the same time, other officers also were attacked with the barricade, including an officer who was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion.
According to the charges, Daniel Lyden's "actions contributed to injuries that these officers sustained, and prevented the officers from defending themselves and providing aid to each other."
Meantime, Joseph Leyden was also caught on video during the riot, wearing a red hat, blue hooded sweatshirt with "Trump 2020" in white letters, blue jeans, and a blue flag tied around his neck.
According to the charges, Joseph Leyden was part of a group of rioters at the Capitol's West Plaza, where around 1:15 p.m., some of them began pulling barriers into the crowd, compromising a police security perimeter.
Joseph Leyden was caught on video rushing towards a Metropolitan Police Department officer, then lunging at and pushing the officer. According to the charges, another officer pushed Joseph Leyden away from the first officer, and Joseph Leyden then retreated back into the crowd.
Court information for the brothers was not immediately available.
