South Dakota Man Charged with Assaulting Cops During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

A South Dakota man is facing federal charges for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, including assaulting law enforcement.

William George Knight, 37, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was arrested on May 26, 2024, in Rapid City. He is expected to make his initial appearance today in the District of South Dakota.

Knight is charged with obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, both felony offenses. He also faces 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.

According to court documents, on Jan. 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 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. Court documents say that MPD officers had to deploy chemical spray to stop Knight. Knight then jeered at the police line for several minutes, pointed at them aggressively multiple times, and yelled at the police, “We ain’t leaving! We ain’t going nowhere!” and “Here are the b—. Here are the b—.”

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. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota. This case serves as a reminder of the violent and destructive actions that took place during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

The FBI and local law enforcement agencies have made significant progress in investigating and prosecuting those responsible for the Jan. 6 breach. As this case and others like it make their way through the justice system, it is essential to hold individuals accountable for their actions and to ensure that justice is served.