Beyond MoCo

On August 29, Joshua Pruitt of Silver Spring (previously residing in Washington, DC) was sentenced to 55 months in prison on a felony charge for his participation in the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capital Building. According to the District of Columbia U.S. Attorney’s Office, “Pruitt, who was in the process of joining the Proud Boys, attended a rally with members of the group, which describes itself as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists.” At approximately 12:30 p.m., he began marching from the area of the rally to the Capitol. At about 2:10 p.m., he was illegally on the restricted grounds of the Northwest Lawn. He was wearing a tactical glove with knuckle pads. He saw rioters push through a line of law enforcement officers and advance up the stairs to the Upper West Terrace. Pruitt followed them, using a piece of fencing as a makeshift ladder to climb on onto the stairs.”

“Pruitt advanced up the stairs and toward the Capitol building. He leapt over a railing before entering the Capitol through the Senate Wing Door at approximately 2:14 p.m. He threw a wooden sign, and he was one of the first rioters to enter the Crypt.  After rioters breached the police line in the Crypt, Pruitt moved toward the Capitol Visitor’s Center. There, he picked up a chair and tossed it. He then continued in the direction of the Senate subway. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and his security detail – who had evacuated from the Senate Chamber — walked up a ramp toward the elevators in the northern part of the Visitor’s Center. A member of the security detail saw Pruitt approaching.  As a result, Senator Schumer and his security detail reversed course, running away from the elevator and back down the ramp.”