What We Know So Far: A Timeline Of Security At The Capitol On January 6
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Thousands of Donald Trump supporters storm the United States Capitol building on Jan. 6.
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Investigations
Why Didn’t The FBI And DHS Produce A Threat Report Ahead of The Capitol Insurrection?
The New York Police Department sends a packet of material to the U.S. Capitol Police and the Washington Field Office of the FBI. This raw intelligence — bits and pieces of information scraped from various social media sites — indicates that there will likely be violence when lawmakers certify the presidential election on Jan. 6.
But the DHS and the FBI do not create an intelligence report focused specifically on the upcoming pro-Trump rally. That’s important because these reports go beyond raw intelligence — they validate information and put it into context which helps local law enforcement develop a plan. These threat assessments or intelligence bulletins are typically written as a matter of course ahead of high-profile events. It’s not clear why this didn’t happen.
Monday, January 4
The Metropolitan Police Department arrests Enrique Tarrio, leader of the far-right Proud Boys group. He’s released the next day and told to leave Washington, after being charged with destruction of property and possession of high-capacity firearm magazines.
The police had noted that D.C. law prohibits anyone from carrying a firearm within 1,000 feet of any First Amendment activity.
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund asks permission from House and Senate security officials to request that the D.C. National Guard be placed on standby, in case the protest gets out of control. The Washington Post reports: «House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said he wasn’t comfortable with the ‘optics’ of formally declaring an emergency ahead of the demonstration, Sund said. Meanwhile, Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger suggested that Sund should informally seek out his Guard contacts, asking them to ‘lean forward’ and be on alert in case Capitol Police needed their help.»
Tuesday, January 5
The FBI Field Office in Norfolk, Va. issues an explicit warning that extremists have plans for violence the next day, as first reported by the Post. It releases its advisory report after FBI analysts find a roster of troubling information including specific threats against members of Congress, an exchange of maps of the tunnel system under the Capitol complex, and organizational plans like setting up gathering places in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and South Carolina where extremists can meet to convoy to Washington.
FBI Norfolk shares what they have discovered with counterparts in D.C., the Post reports. The head of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Steven D’Antuono, later says that information is shared with the FBI’s «law enforcement partners» through the bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. That includes the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and other agencies.
Officials convene a conference call with local law enforcement to discuss the Norfolk warning. The NYPD and Norfolk information contains raw intelligence that isn’t yet validated or analyzed. Sources tell NPR the information was worrisome because of its specificity, but was based on one or two sources — generally not enough to start deploying police or the National Guard.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser announces that the MPD will be the lead law enforcement agency and will coordinate with the Capitol Police, Park Police and Secret Service. «To be clear, the District of Columbia is not requesting other federal law enforcement personnel and discourages any additional deployment without immediate notification to, and consultation with, MPD if such plans are underway,» Bowser tweets.
In a letter to the Justice Department, Bowser says «we are mindful» of events in 2020 — likely referencing the June 1 clearing of peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square by Park Police and other federal law enforcement not answerable to the city. Police advanced through the crowd with little warning, firing tear gas and smoke canisters shortly before Trump appeared outside for a photograph in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church. NPR later reported that Park Police asked the National Guard if they had a «heat ray» weapon they could deploy. The National Guard said no.
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In June, police officers clashed with peaceful protesters and fired tear gas near the White House during demonstrations over George Floyd’s death. The heavy-handed approach by federal law enforcement agencies influenced the city’s preparations for Jan. 6.
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Trump supporters gathered on Jan. 6 outside a security perimeter on the National Mall for a rally against the Electoral College certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
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President Trump addresses his supporters at The Ellipse on Jan. 6. At his direction, crowds began marching toward the Capitol.
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Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they push down barricades to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
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Members of Congress run for cover as rioters try to enter the House chamber on Jan. 6.
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U.S. Capitol police point guns at a door in the House Chamber on January 6.
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Protesters break windows and attempt to enter the U.S. Capitol Building.
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Riot police push back a crowd of Trump supporters after they storm the Capitol.
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Members of the National Guard arrive at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. Following the insurrection on Jan. 6, 20,000 National Guard troops are expected to be involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week.
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Members of the National Guard arrive at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. Following the insurrection on Jan. 6, 20,000 National Guard troops are expected to be involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week.
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Tuesday, January 12
The U.S. Justice Department says it has received more than 100,000 pieces of digital information in response to its call for tips about those responsible for the Capitol riot. The Justice Department says MPD acted on its intelligence to arrest the Proud Boys’ Tarrio before the protest, and federal officials interrupted travel of others who planned to go to D.C.
Sherwin says the numbers of arrests will «geometrically increase.»
Acting DHS Secretary Peter Gaynor issues a memorandum expanding the period of the 59th Presidential Inauguration National Special Security Event, to begin January 13 and lasting through January 21.
Wednesday, January 13
President Trump is impeached by the House of Representatives for inciting an insurrection.
The secretary of the Army announces that as many as 20,000 National Guard troops are expected to be deployed to D.C. for the inauguration. Some will be armed, while others will have access to their weapons but will not carry them.
Thursday, January 14
FBI Director Christopher Wray says the bureau has identified more than 200 suspects from the Capitol riots and arrested more than 100 others in connection with the violence. «We know who you are if you’re out there — and FBI agents are coming to find you,» he warns.
NPR’s Dina Temple-Raston, Cheryl Corley, Greg Myre, Tom Bowman, Martin Kaste and Domenico Montanaro contributed to this report.
- capitol insurrection
- u.s. capitol riot
- Washington, D.C.
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