Rapid City Man Crashes Into Riot, Assaults Cops on Jan. 6

WASHINGTON – A South Dakota man has been taken down for his role in the chaos that erupted on January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol. William George Knight, 37, of Rapid City, South Dakota, is charged with felony and misdemeanor offenses, including for allegedly assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Knight is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, both felony offenses. In addition to the felonies, Knight is charged with five misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

The FBI arrested Knight on May 26, 2024, in Rapid City. He is expected to make his initial appearance today in the District of South Dakota. According to court documents, on January 6, 2021, Knight attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., and witnessed the United States Park Police (USPP) take an individual into custody.

A crowd of others, including Knight, allegedly pursued the USPP to a screening facility, a glass structure, and Knight aggressively approached the glass wall four times over approximately seven minutes, each time pushing himself off the wall and gesturing toward police. Knight then put his middle fingers up to the glass and pointed menacingly at the police inside the Screening Center.

Knight later made his way toward the Capitol and entered the Capitol grounds via the Maryland Avenue walkway. Knight and others were allegedly among the first rioters to breach the restricted perimeter and arrive at the West Plaza at approximately 12:57 p.m. A short while later, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officers arrived to reinforce Capitol Police and set up a barrier using bike racks on the West Plaza.

It is alleged that Knight grabbed one of the bike rack barriers and fell backward because he had pulled on the barrier so forcefully. At about 1:14 p.m., Knight allegedly attempted to pull a second bike rack barrier away from a different nearby police line. After initially grabbing the second bike rack, Knight retreated before charging toward the police line and diving to grab the barrier.