SC man arrested after accusations of assaulting law enforcement during Jan. 6th U.S. Capitol breach

In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, smoke fills the walkway outside the Senate Chamber as supporters of President Donald Trump, including Eric Bochene, far …

In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, smoke fills the walkway outside the Senate Chamber as supporters of President Donald Trump, including Eric Bochene, far right, are confronted by U.S. Capitol Police officers inside the Capitol in Washington. Bochene is one of at least five people charged in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 who have chosen to defend themselves in court, brushing aside federal judges’ repeated warnings about the risks of trying to navigate their high-stakes cases without an attorney. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

by: Karlton Clay

Posted: Mar 28, 2023 / 04:45 PM EDT

Updated: Mar 28, 2023 / 07:59 PM EDT

SOUTH CAROLINA (WJBF) – A South Carolina has been arrested after being accused of assaulting a law enforcement officer during the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6th, 2021.

According to the District of South Carolina United States Attorney’s Office, Thomas Andrew Casselman, 29, of Walhalla, was arrested on felony charges and charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds or buildings, all felonies, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol building.

According to authorities, his actions, along with the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

According to court documents, Casselman can be seen in images from the January 6th Capitol riot wearing a dark grey cap with design on the front, black face mask, American flag gaiter or scarf around the neck, black jacket, and backpack while in the crowd on the west side of the Capitol Building.

According to authorities, Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage from D.C. Metropolitan Police officers as well as open-source video footage show Casselman spraying law enforcement officers with an orange colored spray, presumed to be a chemical irritant, specifically, bear spray, and a victim of the use of this chemical irritant also described the spray as bear spray.

Authorities say Casselman was arrested Tuesday morning in Walhalla and made his initial appearance in the District of South Carolina.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

This investigation remains ongoing.