Jan. 6 Insurrection: Ohio Man Accused Of Storming Capitol

KETTERING, OH — An Ohio man has been accused of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the Department of Justice announced.

David Mehaffe, 62, from Kettering, faces charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder. He was taken into custody on Aug. 13 and made his first appearance in the Southern District of Ohio that day.

Court documents accused Mehaffie of joining the crowd on the lower west terrace of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6. Law enforcement obtained video of Mehaffie walking up the exterior terrace stairs and into the tunnel as part of the first group to try and breach the Capitol through that entrance, court documents said.

Mehaffie repeatedly used his fist to try and break glass windows out of a door, court documents said. He then walked through the doors and opened a second set of doors where Capitol police and Metropolitan police had formed a human barricade, court documents said.

As Mehaffie held the doors open, rioters poured through and began attacking police with their hands and makeshift weapons, including flag poles, court documents said.

Mehaffie then exited the tunnel, according to court documents, and climbed up on a raised platform above the tunnel entrance. From this vantage point, he helped coordinate the rioters movements, court documents said.

Security footage shows him directing the rioters and helping pass items like riot shields to other members of the mob, court documents said. Additionally, court documents said, footage retrieved from the day showed Mehaffie shouting, "If you are going in, get on this side!" and telling other rioters to "push!"

Officers eventually shoved the crowd out of the tunnel and tried to confront Mehaffie, court documents said.

Mehaffie struggled with police when they attempted to move him, court documents said, until he was finally forced off the elevated terrace.