A man who was arrested Monday after allegedly bringing Molotov cocktails to the Capitol told police that he intended to kill Speaker Mike Johnson, Pete Hegseth and Scott Bessent, federal prosecutors said in court filings.

Ryan English turned himself in to Capitol Police, admitting he was carrying knives and two Molotov cocktails fashioned out of 50 milliliter Absolut Vodka bottles, stuffed with cloths doused in hand sanitizer.

Police say English indicated that he had intended to target Bessent, the newly confirmed Treasury secretary, and Hegseth, the new Defense secretary. He told authorities he had left his Massachusetts home on Sunday intending to target Johnson and Hegseth but learned that Bessent’s confirmation vote was slated for Monday.

After English arrived at the Capitol, he realized that he was unlikely to be able to get close to Bessent, given the security in place, and he said he considered taking steps that might amount to “suicide by cop,” according to the court filings.

English is facing charges for unlawful transportation of a firearm and bringing an incendiary device into the Capitol.

  • Skyrmir@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Molotovs? Really? That’s what you try to sneak around with? I’m pretty sure the door guards don’t even need dogs to smell that coming.

    Love where the heart is, but everything else is just a fail.

    Don’t bring molotovs unless you’re showing up with your own mob of supporters. If you can’t get a mob of supporters, that’s your sign to sit the fuck down.

    • Cataphract@lemmy.ml
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      12 hours ago

      I’m pretty sure the door guards don’t even need dogs to smell that coming.

      If the security was trained to smell out alcohol, Hegseth wouldn’t have made it into the building.

          • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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            21 hours ago

            Not really.

            There is only like 35 states that allow alcohol sales at gas stations. And the majority of those are beer and wine only, maybe 7 of them allow liquor sales?

            • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              35 > 25 that’s 70%…

              That would be enough to pass a constitutional amendment with the aid of Congress, and is only 5% shy of being enough to pass a constitutional amendment without the assistance of Congress.

              • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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                21 hours ago

                Because I wasn’t able to comb through each state law to see if Liqour was included. But given sampling, it seems very few states do include liquor.

                I have spent most of my time on the eastern side of country, so I assumed maybe it was common west, but that doesn’t seem to be true either.