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Who is Thomas Webster aka Eye Gouger? Retired NYPD cop who beat Capitol officer with metal pole arrested

Webster was known as the 'eye gouger' as the images circulated of him showed him allegedly jabbing his thumb into the face of a Capitol police officer

In what comes as the latest development following the Capitol riots, former NYPD cop Thomas Webster aka "eye gouger" has been arrested for allegedly using a metal pole to assault a police officer during the insurgence on January 6, 2021.

Prosecutors said that he "attacked a police officer with an aluminium pole and ripped off his protective gear and gas mask, causing the officer to choke" because it "cut off (the officer's) air for a short period of time". According to reports, prosecutor Benjamin Gianforti added that Webster surrendered to the FBI field office in New York's Hudson Valley at 2.35 pm to face the charges in the ongoing investigation.

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During a virtual court hearing in White Plains, New York, on February 23, Gianforti recalled the contents of the body cam video of the incident and told the court that the pole used by Webster to attack the police officer had a Marine Corps flag on it. The prosecutor added that the video recorded Webster calling the police officer "a fucking piece of shit" and "commie motherfucker".

According to reports, authorities said that during the Capitol riot, he was "like a junkyard dog, teeth bared, fists clenched". After Southern District of New York Judge Andrew E Krause was provided with the proof that the man in the videos was actually Webster, he said that he is seen swinging the pole and it "hits the metal barricade in front of the officer multiple times", and that afterward "that pole is bent beyond recognition". "When he is disarmed of the pole, he doesn't take a step back," Krause said. "The barricade opens up and he charges through it at the officer, and they are wrestling on the ground." According to reports, Webster's next appearance is scheduled for March 3.

Who is Thomas Webster? 

The FBI had been looking for him for a while. On social media, Webster was known as the "eye gouger" as the images circulated of him showed him allegedly jabbing his thumb into the face of a Capitol police officer.

According to a law enforcement officer who spoke to CNN, Webster retired from the NYPD in 2011 and had been a part of the uniformed security detail at City Hall and Gracie Mansion, the New York City mayor's official residence, for a while. James Monroe, Webster's defense attorney, confirmed to the court that Webster was honorably discharged by the Marines and that he is a retired NYPD officer. He said his client went to Washington to protest issues that "Tom felt very strongly about", and was "urged on by our former President".

The attorney told the court, "He's not part of a group, he's not part of any organization."

'May he serve many years in prison'

Twitter user Cleavon MD shared, "ARRESTED: Thomas Webster AKA #EyeGouger is a retired NYPD Cop accused of attacking Capitol Police with a pipe and gouging out their eyes. Webster's attorney, James Monroe, declined to comment Tuesday."

Ever since news about Webster's arrest broke, some on Twitter are celebrating the long overdue arrest and others are livid. He has been trending as #EyeGouger on social media as many shared the news and videos of his involvement at the riots. "YASSSS I’ve been waiting for this arrest!!! #EyeGouger has been Arrested!!!!" a user put up a celebratory post.

"If were you’re wondering why it took so long to find this guy try throwing this into the mix. The #EyeGouger is a retired from the NYPD. There had to be a couple of thousand cops who knew who this was. They only arrested him after he turned himself in," one tweeted. "ARRESTED: May this piece of garbage spend the rest of his miserable life in jail. He was a retired NYPD officer. The people he hurt were his figurative “ brothers and sisters.” Thomas Webster AKA #EyeGouger is a retired NYPD Cop," another user added. 

"So Thomas Webster, the #EyeGouger who attacked one Capitol Hill police officer like a junkyard dog, beat him up with a pipe and gouged his eyes turns out to be a retired NYPD officer. One officer gouging out another officer’s eye because Trump didn’t win. WTF!" a user expressed shock and disgust at the way the events unfolded that day of the riots. "Thankful they finally caught the guy!! May he serve many, many, many, many, many years in prison. Absolutely disgraceful and disgusting #EyeGouger," another concurred recounting Webster's actions.