Mark Andrew Mazza Arrested for Gun, Assault in Jan. 6 Capitol Siege

Mark Andrew Mazza, 56, of Shelbyville, Indiana, is behind bars on federal charges after bringing a loaded Taurus revolver onto U.S. Capitol grounds and swinging a baton at police during the violent Jan. 6 insurrection. The attack, which unfolded as Congress counted electoral votes, plunged the nation’s capital into chaos—and now, more than ten months later, federal prosecutors are closing in on participants like Mazza with relentless force.

Mazza was arrested Nov. 17, 2021, at his home in Shelbyville and appeared in the Southern District of Indiana, where he was ordered held without bond. He faces multiple charges including illegal possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds, civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon. The gun—a loaded revolver containing three shotgun shells and two hollow point bullets—was found in the West Front Terrace area just after 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6.

Video evidence places Mazza back in the thick of the riot moments later. At approximately 3:08 p.m., he’s seen in the mob surging toward the Lower West Terrace tunnel. Once rioters smashed through the glass doors, Mazza held them open, enabling a flood of attackers into the Capitol. Armed with a baton, he advanced on officers defending the interior, shouting, “This is our f—- house! We own this house!” before swinging the weapon at law enforcement.

Federal investigators say Mazza didn’t just watch—he joined in the coordinated “heave-ho” pushes used to overwhelm police lines, applying intense physical force to break through the defense. His participation wasn’t passive; it was violent, deliberate, and dangerous. His actions contributed directly to the breach that forced lawmakers into lockdown and delayed the democratic certification of a presidential election.

Days after returning home, Mazza tried to cover his tracks. On Jan. 8, 2021, he filed a false police report in Indiana claiming he lost his gun at an Ohio casino. That lie unraveled under federal scrutiny. The U.S. Capitol Police and FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, with support from the Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department, built the case using recovered weapons, video footage, and digital trails.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division are leading prosecution, with assistance from the Southern District of Indiana. To date, over 675 individuals have been arrested nationwide in connection with the Capitol breach, including more than 210 accused of assaulting law enforcement. The investigation continues. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov. As with all federal cases, Mazza is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.