Tampa-Area Man Attacked Officers During 2021 U.S. Capitol Riot: DOJ

TAMPA, FL — A Florida man was arrested in Tampa on Monday for assaulting law enforcement, as well as other charges related to his involvement during the Jan. 6. 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol building, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

George Gonzalez, 46, of Brandon was part of a mob that disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress to count the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election.

Gonzalez was charged with felony offenses of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, destruction of government property, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, the DOJ said.

In addition to the felonies, he faces six 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, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

Gonzalez entered the Capitol grounds via the west front of the building on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court documents, video evidence and U.S. Capitol building CCTV footage.

Around 2:10 p.m., he climbed the Senate stairs to the Upper West Terrace, approached the Senate Wing Door, and struck and shattered a window to enter the building, the DOJ said. He climbed in through the window frame and kicked broken glass onto the floor as he entered the Capitol.

The damage to the window was later valued at more than $1,000 by the architect of the Capitol, court documents show.

Once inside the building, Gonzalez joined other rioters at the Crypt, where U.S. Capitol police officers were trying to block their advance.

He charged at the police line but was intercepted and pushed back by officers around 2:17 p.m., the DOJ said. He charged again and the crowd eventually overwhelmed the police line, pushing further into the building.

Gonzalez and other rioters later moved south, forcing police back past the House Wing Door and through the Hall of Columns. He then went upstairs to the second floor, reaching Statuary Hall by 2:34 p.m.

He entered the Statuary Hall Connector, which leads to the House of Representatives floor, where he stayed for nearly 10 minutes.

He left the Capitol through the Upper house Door just before 3 p.m. as part of a group escorted out by officers who had formed a line, the DOJ said.

Gonzalez spent about 42 minutes inside the building.