Baltimore Woman Faces Felony Assault Charge in D.C. Riot

WASHINGTON – Alanna Rogers, 26, of Baltimore, MD, stood before the Superior Court of the District of Columbia yesterday, accused of a brazen attack on Metropolitan Police during a declared riot. Rogers is charged with felony assault on a police officer while armed and misdemeanor rioting after an investigation revealed she threw a fiery device at officers, singeing the trousers of one.

The August 30-31 disturbances saw Rogers initially released from arrest, only for today’s charges to be filed following further investigative efforts by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Judge Sean C. Staples found probable cause for the charges but, noting Rogers’ clean criminal history, ruled that she should be released on bail. The court imposed restrictions, ordering her to stay off Sixteenth Street, N.W., and prohibiting fireworks possession.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of conduct, not evidence of guilt, and Rogers is presumed innocent until proven guilty. In related news, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed charges against two other individuals for their roles in the rioting that plagued the city last week.

In United States v. Wu, defendant Wu faces misdemeanor rioting charges, while Powell stands accused of misdemeanor destruction of property, defacing property, and misdemeanor rioting in a separate case. The office is actively reviewing further evidence as it seeks justice for the disturbances.