Two years after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, a Massachusetts police officer recognized one of the people the FBI was looking for in connection with the events on Jan. 6, 2021.
Daniel Tocci, of Amherst, Massachusetts, had been pulled over in Hadley for a broken headlight on Jan. 23. The officer remembered the interaction. He was able to identify him to the FBI on April 18 as the same man seen in multiple screenshots of video footage taken in and around the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court records.
The Hadley Police Department provided the FBI with the video of the traffic stop and compared it to those on Jan. 6, 2021.
Tocci was arrested on a warrant issued by the United States Court for the District of Columbia on Nov. 29.
He is charged with destruction of government property, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Images obtained by the FBI showed Tocci carrying a large stick while near the Washington Monument that day. Tocci then appeared to make his way to the U.S. Capitol along with other rioters, the FBI said.
At about 2:25 p.m., Tocci went up a staircase on the northwest side of the building, which was on restricted grounds. While walking up the stairs, Tocci helped other rioters scale the outer wall of the northwest staircase, the FBI claimed.
Once at the top of the staircase, Tocci and fellow rioters reached the Capitol’s Upper West Terrace. Tocci was pictured along with the crowd and chanted on at least one occasion “Our House,” according to court documents. Tocci was later seen breaking into the Senate Wing door with rioters around 3:18 p.m.
The FBI said Tocci spent most of his time inside the building near the door through which he entered. However, at around 3:21 p.m., Tocci was seen approaching an officer before exiting through a window.
Just before 4 p.m., surveillance footage caught Tocci outside of the Capitol near the Senate Wing door, the FBI said. He then approached the building, reached into a broken window, and took a piece of a shutter slat. This was caught on video obtained by the FBI, the agency said.
Tocci stayed within the Capitol’s restricted areas for at least 90 minutes before he left, court documents read.
FBI Boston has now arrested 32 people from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island in connection with the Capitol breach.
Story by Heather Morrison, masslive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.
