U.S. to pursue criminal charges in Capitol riot

U.S. to pursue criminal charges in Capitol riot

The United States has opened criminal investigations of more than 170 people who stormed the Capitol last week and plans to charge some of the most serious offenders with assault and seditious conspiracy for their role in the violence, a federal prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Freddie Joyner has more.

"The brutality the American people watched with shock and disbelief on the sixth will not be tolerated by the FBI." The FBI Tuesday said it has opened criminal investigations on more than 170 individuals for their involvement in the riot at the U.S. Capitol and aims to charge people with assault and seditious conspiracy.

Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, Steven D'Antuono.

"Agents and our partners are on the streets investigating leads not only here in the D.C.

Area, but also across the country through the FBI's 56 field offices.

So even like I've said before, so even if you've left D.C., agents from our local field offices will be knocking on your door if we find out that you are part of the criminal activity at the Capitol." Investigators are combing social media images that showed hundreds of people swarming the building, attacking police, stealing computers and artifacts and smashing windows.

70 criminal cases have been filed so far.

Hundreds more could follow.

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin: "I think the scope and scale of this investigation and these cases are really unprecedented, not only in FBI history, but probably DOJ history // We're looking at significant felony cases tied to sedition and conspiracy," The FBI has been releasing photos of suspects and seeking help from the public.

Recently, it released images of someone who is suspected of planting pipe bombs at the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican national committees.

When asked by a reporter about the intelligence the FBI had before the events on January 6th, D'Antuono said they had "a lot: "We received a lot of intelligence.

Like I said, I saved a lot of intelligence information, through different means, be it through social media or through agencies sources... We also shared it through our command post structure and then also through other means... So all that information was shared with our partners and then we went from there." And the arrests continue.

On Tuesday, the FBI in New York arrested Aaron Mostofsky who wept in court.

He was identified by multiple news outlets as the son of New York Supreme Court Judge Shlomo MostofsKy after he was photographed inside the halls of Congress during the riot.