Michigan Man Admits to Capitol Cop Attack

Linden, Michigan resident Matthew Thomas Krol, 64, has admitted to violently attacking U.S. Capitol Police officers during the January 6th, 2021 insurrection. Krol pleaded guilty to one felony count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon – a stolen police baton – directly contributing to the chaos that disrupted the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

The feds say Krol wasn’t a spontaneous actor. He traveled from Michigan to Washington D.C. specifically to participate in the “Stop the Steal” rally, fueled by false claims of a rigged election. Once the rally dissolved into a mob, Krol didn’t hesitate to join the assault on the Capitol, pushing through crowds towards the front lines where officers were desperately trying to hold the line.

According to court documents, the attack wasn’t just a shove. At approximately 2:28 p.m. on January 6th, Krol hurled a water bottle at officers before physically engaging with them. He then stole a baton from one officer and used it to strike at least two others. The brazen theft and subsequent assault put the lives of those officers in immediate danger, a fact federal prosecutors emphasized in court.

Krol’s arrest came on February 22, 2022, a year after the riot, thanks to a joint investigation led by the FBI’s Detroit Field Office and its Flint Resident Agency. The investigation pieced together video evidence and witness testimony, definitively identifying Krol as the assailant wielding the stolen baton. He’s been held accountable for his actions, but the true extent of the damage he inflicted goes beyond bruises and broken equipment.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section – a clear signal that the feds are treating the January 6th riot as an act of domestic terrorism. While the plea avoids a lengthy trial, Krol still faces a significant sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2023, and the court will consider federal sentencing guidelines and the severity of the assault when determining the punishment.

Krol’s guilty plea is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. To date, over 1,100 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the January 6th Capitol breach. The feds continue to pursue leads and bring those responsible to account, reminding everyone that there are consequences for attacking the heart of American democracy. Anyone with information about the January 6th attack is encouraged to submit tips to the FBI.