Capitol Rioter Gets 18 Months: ‘Bum Rush the White House’

State College, PA resident Brian Gundersen, 28, will spend the next 18 months behind bars after being convicted of assaulting law enforcement during the January 6th, 2021, Capitol breach. The sentence, handed down this week, reflects the gravity of his actions – actively engaging in a mob that disrupted the certification of a presidential election and physically confronting the officers tasked with defending the Capitol.

Gundersen didn’t just stumble into the chaos. According to court documents, the Pennsylvania man traveled to Washington D.C. with a clear intent to cause trouble. Facebook posts unearthed by investigators showed Gundersen asking if anyone else was “going to DC on the 6th” and brazenly suggesting they “be able to bum rush the white house and take it over.” That’s not the behavior of a tourist; it’s the blueprint of an agitator.

On January 6th, Gundersen illegally entered Capitol grounds, joining a surging wave of rioters. He wasn’t a bystander. He climbed the Northwest Steps, then brazenly scaled toward a window in the Northwest Courtyard, screaming at officers inside. He then pushed his way into the Capitol through the Parliamentarian Door, actively waving others in to join the fray and escalating the confrontation. Inside, rioters ransacked the office, and Gundersen even left a mocking ‘remorse’ note.

After the riot, Gundersen didn’t shy away from bragging. He posted on social media about “storming the US Capitol and trying to take over the government.” He also shared a photograph of members of Congress taking cover during the attack, accompanied by disparaging remarks – a clear display of contempt for the democratic process. This wasn’t a spontaneous outburst; it was calculated escalation and post-event gloating.

Federal prosecutors secured a conviction on two felony counts: obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers. In addition to the 18-month prison sentence, Gundersen will serve 36 months of supervised release and has been ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol to cover damages caused during the riot. The feds, working with the FBI’s Washington and Philadelphia Field Offices, built a solid case based on social media evidence, witness testimony, and video footage of the attack.

The investigation, a massive undertaking involving the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and assistance from the Middle District of Pennsylvania, remains ongoing. To date, hundreds have been arrested and charged in connection with the January 6th attack. Gundersen’s sentence serves as a stark warning: those who attempt to undermine American democracy and assault those sworn to protect it will face serious consequences. The feds aren’t letting up, and more indictments are expected.

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