Capitol riot suspect held in Mahoning County jail
An Ohio man suspected of removing gas masks and striking police officers during the January U.S. Capitol riot has been released from the Mahoning County jail and turned over to federal authorities.
Clifford Mackrell, 20, of Wellington, Ohio was arrested by federal agents on Wednesday and booked into the county jail, where U.S. Marshals have been holding many federal arrestees since the agency revealed that it intends to stop using the privately-operated Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in Youngstown.
According to an affidavit, investigators believe video taken on the day of the insurrection shows Mackrell repeatedly striking a Capitol Police officer and pulling his gas mask away so another member of the crowd could spray the officer with what appears to be bear-spray.
After sharing a photo of the suspect through media outlets, the FBI received a tip possibly identifying Mackrell as a former classmate at Wellington High School.
Using driver’s license photos and posts from Facebook, authorities say they identified the suspect as Mackrell
Investigators say Mackrell posted the following message on the day of the Capitol riot:
“hey libtards and conservatives let’s stop fighting for a minute so I was thinking you libtards think the government was corrupt in 2016 right well I’ve thought they were corrupted for a very long time now how about we get rid of all of them because well it is out literal job as american’s to kill the tyrannical government. Also f--k all news stations.”
According to Oxford Languages, a “libtard” is a contemptuous term for a person with left-wing political views.
Mackrell is charged with forcible assault of officers, unauthorized entrance onto restricted property, obstruction of law enforcement, and violent entry on Capitol grounds.
During a video in U.S. District Court held on Wednesday, Mackrell’s case was transferred to the District of Columbia.
His bond was set at $20,000 and custody of Mackrell was turned over to U.S. Marshals.
