Burgettstown man arrested for allegedly assaulting officers during Jan. 6 Capitol riots

BURGETTSTOWN, Pa. — A local man is behind bars after he allegedly assaulted police officers with a weapon during the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots.

Joshua Lee Atwood, 31, of Burgettstown, is charged with felony offenses of civil disorder; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon; entering, remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and an act of physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Atwood was seen in body camera and open-source video footage attacking police officers defending the Lower West Terrace Tunnel between 4:51 and 5:03 p.m.

“The Tunnel was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day,” officials said.

Atwood is allegedly seen picking up an object that appears to be a bottle from the ground at throwing it into the Tunnel at officers. The object did hit an officer, which was captured by body cameras.

Atwood is also seen allegedly throwing a long silver pole at the officers in the Tunnel. The pole also hit an officer on the south wall.

Moments later, Atwood is seen throwing a small square object and another small object that looked like a bottle, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

At approximately 5:01 p.m., an open-source photograph shows Atwood outside the Tunnel entrance holding a police riot shield. Atwood then allegedly used that shield twice to strike the riot shield of another police officer.

During this interaction, Atwood can be heard on body camera footage saying expletives at officers. He then threw another metal pole, which hit and officer in the head and neck, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

At some point, open-source photographs show that Atwood had joined other rioters in Senate Terrace Room 2—Mezzanine.

In addition to the felony charges, Atwood is also facing misdemeanor offenses of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

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