Man who crushed police officer in door frame in Capitol Hill riot convicted on seven counts

The United States Department of Justice has revealed the verdict of the man who crushed a police officer during the Capitol riots.

On 6 January, 2021, Donald Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in Washington DC in protest of Joe Biden's presidential win.

Yesterday, Tuesday, 13 September, 2022, the United States Department of Justice revealed Patrick E. McCaughey III, 25, Tristan Chandler Stevens, 26, and David Mehaffie, 63 had all been found guilty of offences for their actions during the Capitol breach.

The verdicts were delivered in the District of Columbia following a bench trial.

On Tuesday, 13 September, McCaughey was found guilty of nine offences.

The offences included two misdemeanour charges: Committing an act of violence in the Capitol Building or grounds and disorderly conduct in a Capitol Building.

Other charges were:

• one count of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon
• one count of engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon
• one count of interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder
• one count of obstruction of an official proceeding
• three counts of aiding or abetting or assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers, including one with a dangerous weapon

Mehaffie was found guilty of four offences and Stevens, a total of nine.

The United States Department of Justice resolved that 'according to government's evidence', the three men 'all travelled to Washington, DC from their respective homes' on 6 January, 2021.

"Each illegally made his way on to the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol. McCaughey and Stevens taunted officers at the West Front, and Mehaffie yelled at nearby rioters who were hesitating to illegally cross the outer perimeter, 'If we can’t fight over this wall, we can’t win this battle'," the release continues.

At around 2:30pm, the three defendants are reported as having 'broke[n] through the police line' before 'scal[ing] the Southwest scaffolding and staircase' before meeting 'at the tunnel created by the inaugural platform structure on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building'.

"Between 2:41 p.m. and 3:19 p.m., the three defendants attempted to break into the building by directing other rioters, participating in heave-hos against the police line, using riot shields stolen from the Capitol Police, and assaulting three specific officers.

"Mehaffie hung from an archway and shouted direction from above, and McCaughey and Stevens were key players in the melee below. McCaughey grabbed a riot shield and used it as a weapon.

"Even after officers finally cleared the tunnel area, the three defendants illegally remained on Capitol grounds," the release reads.

Footage emerged on social media which connected McCaughey to a police officer named Daniel Hodges who was assaulted by rioters on the day of the Capitol riots.

The FBI released photos of the suspect on January 15, appealing to the public to help them identify the man.

The police stated: "During the insurrection at the United States Capitol, the suspect assaulted and used a clear police shield to pin MPD Officer Daniel Hodges in a door jam."

McCaughey - who was reported to authorities by a childhood friend - was later arrested on 19 January, 2021. Mehaffie was arrested on 12 August, 2021 and Stevens on 5, February 2021.

McCaughey was subsequently charged with civil disorder, entering restricted building or grounds, violent entry or disorderly conduct as well as assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees.

The suspect's behaviour was branded 'quintessentially un-American' and 'abhorrent' by US attorney Michael Sherwin.

Stevens is set to be sentenced first, on 13 January, 2023. McCaughey will be sentenced on 26 January, 2023 and Mehaffie will be sentenced the next day on 27 January, 2023.

The investigation is reported as being ongoing, with over 870 people having been arrested in relation to the Capitol riots.

 Anyone with tips is told to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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