Who is Grayson Sherrill? Capitol rioter turned in by family after they recognize him in photo released by FBI
CHERRYVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: A suspected Capitol rioter has been arrested and charged after his family reported him to the FBI. Grayson Sherrill’s arrest on Monday, March 1, came after the FBI released images of him as part of a public appeal to identify those who were part of the deadly protests on January 6 in Washington, DC. The accused has been charged with knowingly entering and remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; knowingly engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted area; and violent and disorderly conduct charges.
The photos by the FBI showed Sherrill inside the Capitol building, wearing a red ‘Keep America Great’ hoodie, jeans, and dark-colored combat-style boots. The photos also showed him holding a long, cylindrical-shaped object in his left hand. A criminal complaint stated that the man was identified by his family members who then turned him in.
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Law enforcement was told by one of the family members of Sherrill that his father sent a message to another family member sending a picture of him inside the building. Not just that, the suspected rioter’s family also provided the FBI with a picture of him standing next to a statue of Dwight D. Eisenhower, which is inside the Capitol Rotunda. Sherrill is reportedly not very close to his family as the members said they typically see him around once a year.
The #FBI is still seeking information to help identify individuals who actively instigated violence on January 6 in Washington, D.C. Visit https://t.co/6MvdUgOmSc to see images from current cases, and if you see someone you recognize, submit a tip at https://t.co/iL7sD5efWD. pic.twitter.com/gmc05rxDkE
— FBI (@FBI) February 16, 2021
On Monday, Sherrill appeared in federal court in Charlotte to face charges. US Magistrate Judge David Keesler asked him to report to the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., where other suspects of the riots are being prosecuted. In mid-February, the FBI released a collage of pictures of the suspected rioters that stormed the Capitol building when Congress got together to certify then President-elect Jide Biden’s win. The deadly protests claimed the lives of five people, including a police officer.
Taking to Twitter, with the collage, the government agency wrote, “The #FBI is still seeking information to help identify individuals who actively instigated violence on January 6 in Washington, D.C. Visit http://ow.ly/baDC50DBDUd to see images from current cases, and if you see someone you recognize, submit a tip at http://tips.fbi.gov.” Also, in January, FBI Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D'Antuono said while warning the people who took part in the insurrection, “To those of you who took part in the violence, here's something you should know: Every FBI field office in the country is looking for you. As a matter of fact, even your friends and family are tipping us off. So you might want to consider turning yourself in instead of wondering when we're going to come knocking on your door—because we will."
In another incident, a Delaware County man was charged after his ex-girlfriend turned him into the authorities. The suspect Richard Michetti allegedly told his ex, “If you can’t see the election was stolen you’re a moron”. After that, on January 7, the woman only identified as W1 in court documents, approached law enforcement to disclose how Michetti had “sent several text messages and two videos” to her while being part of the deadly protests in early January. The accused was then pressed with several charges that include knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, corruptly obstructing Congress, and acting as a principal in the commission of an offense.