Florida Man Sprays Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

WASHINGTON – A brazen Florida man pleaded guilty yesterday to spraying law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, leaving officers bloodied and battered.

Bryan Roger Bishop, 51, of Marathon, Florida, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly will sentence Bishop on Aug. 29, 2024.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, by approximately 2:00 p.m., a crowd of rioters had breached various barriers that had been erected on the west side of the U.S. Capitol building and were attempting to overwhelm police officers positioned there. At approximately 2:02 p.m., Bishop emerged from the crowd and aimed and sprayed a chemical irritant canister at the line of officers.

Court documents say that Bishop sprayed a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer directly in the face with an orange-colored chemical irritant and then sprayed a second MPD officer by aiming the spray at an upward angle in order to spray under the officer’s face shield.

After spraying the officers on the West Plaza, Bishop entered the U.S. Capitol building at approximately 2:39 p.m. Inside, Bishop walked amongst various rooms, including the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, and the Statuary Hall Connector. After approximately 17 minutes, Bishop exited the Capitol building at approximately 2:56 p.m.

The FBI arrested Bishop on Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida provided valuable assistance.

More than 1,385 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol since Jan. 6, 2021. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

The brazen assault on law enforcement during the Jan. 6 Capitol breach has resulted in widespread charges, including nearly 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

As the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, the guilty plea of Bryan Roger Bishop serves as a stark reminder of the violent actions taken by rioters that day.