U.S. says rioters aimed to 'capture and assassinate' officials

U.S. says rioters aimed to 'capture and assassinate' officials

Federal prosecutors offered an ominous new assessment of last week’s siege of the U.S. Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters on Thursday, saying in a court filing that rioters intended “to capture and assassinate elected officials.” This report produced by Yahaira Jacquez.

Rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol last week sought to "capture and assassinate elected officials," that's according to a new assessment by federal prosecutors, who offered the ominous view in a court filing.

It was submitted late Thursday by prosecutors who asked a judge to detain Jacob Chansley, the Arizona man and QAnon conspiracy theorist who was famously photographed at the riot wearing horns.

The detention memo goes into greater detail about the FBI's investigation into Chansley, revealing that he left a note for Vice President Mike Pence at his desk in the Senate Chamber warning "it's only a matter of time, justice is coming." Written by Justice Department lawyers in Arizona, the memo also reads "Strong evidence, including Chansley's own words and actions at the Capitol, supports that the intent of the Capitol rioters was to capture and assassinate elected officials in the United States government." The assessment comes as prosecutors and federal agents have begun bringing more serious charges tied to violence at the Capitol.

In Chansley's case, prosecutors said the charges "involve active participation in an insurrection attempting to violently overthrow the United States government.

AND warned that "the insurrection is still in progress" as law enforcement prepares for more demonstrations in Washington and state capitals.

They also suggested Chansley suffers from drug abuse and mental illness, and told the judge he poses a serious flight risk.

The Justice Department has brought more than 80 criminal cases in connection with the violent riots but federal prosecutors have said there's more coming, saying they expect to bring charges against hundreds of people involved as a massive nationwide hunt for the pro-Trump rioters who breached the capitol continues.