Patrick Allen Bournes, 59, of Santa Clara, California, is behind bars on federal felony charges tied to his role in the violent siege at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Arrested January 29, 2023, in San Jose, Bournes now faces a felony count of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, along with multiple misdemeanors including entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct, engaging in physical violence, and impeding passage on Capitol grounds.
Bournes plunged into the thick of combat at the Lower West Terrace tunnel — one of the deadliest chokepoints during the insurrection. For over two and a half hours, rioters pounded at police lines, snatching shields, spraying chemical agents, and driving into officers in waves. Bournes entered the tunnel at approximately 3:03 p.m., pushed through the mob, and jammed himself into the front lines, physically pressing against federal officers holding the line.
Security footage and investigative records show Bournes wasn’t just present — he was active. When shoved back from the police line, he helped pass a stolen police riot shield through the crowd and out of the tunnel. Even as others retreated, Bournes stayed, joining a coordinated human wave that rocked back and forth against law enforcement. The mob formed a wall of stolen gear, using it as a battering ram. Bournes was in the center of it — pushing, shoving, amplifying the assault.
At approximately 3:11 p.m., Bournes finally broke off and exited the tunnel. But those eight minutes in the crucible were enough to seal his fate. The Justice Department has made prosecuting violent actors in the Capitol breach a top priority — and Bournes’ actions, though brief, were brazen and documented.
The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, with support from the Northern District of California. The FBI’s Washington and San Francisco Field Offices led the investigation, aided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
More than 950 suspects have been arrested nationwide since January 6, including over 284 charged with assaulting or impeding police. The probe is ongoing. The FBI urges anyone with tips to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov. A complaint is merely an allegation — all defendants, including Bournes, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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