Indiana Man Arrested for Gun, Assault in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Mark Andrew Mazza, 56, of Shelbyville, Indiana, is behind bars after being arrested for bringing a loaded revolver onto U.S. Capitol grounds and swinging a baton at police during the violent Jan. 6 insurrection. Charged with illegal possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds, civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement with a dangerous weapon, Mazza’s actions on that day helped fuel one of the most brazen attacks on American democracy in modern history.

On Nov. 17, 2021, federal agents moved in and arrested Mazza at his home in Shelbyville. He made his initial court appearance in the Southern District of Indiana and was ordered held without bond. Prosecutors argue he poses a danger to the community and a flight risk, given the severity of the charges and his attempt to cover his tracks after the fact.

Court documents reveal Mazza brought a Taurus revolver—loaded with three shotgun shells and two hollow point bullets—into the heart of the Capitol complex. The weapon was later recovered near the West Front Terrace just after 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6. Surveillance footage places Mazza back in the Lower West Terrace tunnel by 3:08 p.m., where he joined the mob storming the building’s entrance.

Video evidence shows Mazza holding open the shattered glass doors, clearing the way for rioters to flood inside. Armed with a baton, he pushed forward with the mob, physically assaulting officers defending the line. At one point, he swung the baton while yelling, “This is our f—- house! We own this house!” He took part in coordinated “heave-ho” efforts—organized shoving waves—to break the police formation and force entry.

In a brazen attempt to cover his tracks, Mazza filed a false police report in Indiana on Jan. 8, 2021, claiming he had lost his gun at an Ohio casino. The lie unraveled quickly as federal investigators matched forensic and digital evidence linking him to the firearm found at the Capitol. His digital footprint, including social media posts and geolocation data, further cemented the case against him.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division are leading the prosecution, with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. The U.S. Capitol Police and FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office spearheaded the investigation, aided by the Metropolitan Police Department and FBI’s Washington Field Office. More than 675 individuals have now been arrested nationwide in connection with the Capitol breach, including over 210 accused of assaulting law enforcement. The investigation continues. Tips can be submitted to 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov. All charges are allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.