Pardon Recipient on January 6th: “Headed to D.C. with a Shit Ton of 5.56 Armor Piercing Ammo”
WASHINGTON — Today, after President Trump issued a pardon of violent insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021 — including those who were carrying guns when they stormed the Capitol — Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action released the following statements:
“Trump’s Inauguration Day pledge to ‘bring back law and order’ was immediately contradicted by his pardon of extremists who brazenly attacked law enforcement,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “The Capitol insurrection was fueled in part by gun rights extremists, who were carrying enough ammo to shoot every member of Congress five times, and Trump’s pardon is an invitation for them to double down on violence.”
“Just one day into his presidency, Trump is already endangering the safety of our communities,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “By issuing sweeping pardons to January 6th rioters, he is sending a dangerous message: violence and armed extremism are acceptable as long as they serve his interests.”
As first highlighted in Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund’s 2021 research report “The Role of Guns & Armed Extremism in the Attack on the U.S. Capitol”, the deadly insurrection attempt at the Capitol was fueled, in part, by gun rights extremists who brought their firepower to Washington to stop the certification of the electoral college votes. A review of the police reports related to the attack on the Capitol show that police seized at least 3,071 rounds of ammunition during the course of these arrests – enough ammunition to shoot every member of the House and Senate five times.
Among others, President Trump’s proclamation yesterday will appear to cover:
- Cleveland Meredith: Arrested in D.C. in possession of at least one handgun, an assault rifle, and 2,500 rounds of ammunition. Ahead of his trip to D.C., Meredith texted that he would be “putting a bullet” in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s head. He also bragged he was “headed to DC with a shit ton of 5.56 armor piercing ammo.”
- Lonnie Coffman: Arrested in D.C. in possession of materials to build nearly a dozen Molotov cocktails, plus three handguns, an assault rifle, and five separate types of ammunition.
- Christopher Alberts: According to the Department of Justice, Alberts “arrived at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, wearing a body armor vest containing metal plates… That day, Alberts carried with him, in a holster, a 9-millimeter pistol loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition with an additional bullet in the chamber.” Alberts also wore a separate holster containing an additional 12 rounds of ammunition, which included “hollow point” bullets.”
- John Banuelos: According to charges filed by the federal government, Banuelos carried, brandished, and fired a handgun at the Capitol (as depicted in picture below).
