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Assault and Obstruction Charges Bring Pennsylvania Man to Justice
A Pennsylvania man has been arrested and charged with federal offenses related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Samuel Lazar, 35, of Ephrata, is accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, among other charges.
Lazar will make his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
According to court documents, Lazar was at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, dressed in tactical gear, protective goggles, and camouflage face paint. As depicted in open source video, Lazar approached a line of police barricades on the west front of the U.S. Capitol where he aimed a canister of what appeared to be a chemical irritant in the direction of U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers.
Lazar was told to get back and police deployed a chemical irritant causing Lazar to retreat down the steps. Lazar then turned to face an officer and redeployed his chemical irritant, causing another officer to lose the ability to see. An open source video depicts Lazar, purportedly at 4:30 p.m., stating, “They maced us, those tyrannical pieces of s***, and we maced them right the f*** back and now they’re taking the building.”
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Lazar as #275 in its seeking information photos, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office.
Defendant Information: Samuel Lazar (age 35), of Ephrata, Pennsylvania.
Criminal Charges: Assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.
City and State: Washington DC
Exact Date: Jan. 6, 2021
Sentence or Outcome: Currently awaiting initial court appearance
Defendant: Lazar, Samuel (age 35), of Ephrata, Pennsylvania.
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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