January 6 rioter charged with assaulting Capitol police in fight that left officer unconscious
By Holmes Lybrand
Two Texas men, Lucas Denney and Donald Hazard, who prosecutors say formed their own militia group called the “Patriot Boys of North Texas,” were arrested Monday for allegedly assaulting police officers during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol.
According to court documents, Hazard and Denney attempted to recruit others to their seemingly small militia before traveling together to Washington, DC. Denney also had plans to meet up with members of the Proud Boys in DC, who he said his group was affiliated with.
During the Capitol riot, Hazard — dressed in a tactical vest and a helmet with the Confederate flag printed on the side — grappled with police officers “as he fell down a set of stairs” and one officer who fell with Hazard “was knocked unconscious and sustained injuries to his head, foot, and arm,” according to the Department of Justice.
“Make sure you get my face and everything on your news channel,” Hazard told The Washington Post while marching on January 6. “I want the enemy to know exactly who is coming after them.”
According to court documents, Denney tried to pull down police barriers, attempted to hit police officers with a long metal pole, tried to take away crowd-control spray from an officer and attacked an officer with his fists. He was also in the group pushing against police officers guarding the tunnel connecting the Lower West Terrace to the Capitol.
Leading up to January 6, the two men had planned for violence and believed by the end of the day, Trump would remain president, according to court documents.
Planning for January 6
In a message exchange obtained by the FBI, Denney asked Hazard if he could travel to DC for January 6 “if your trip is paid for,” adding that “I’m making you sergeant at arms” to be his security.
“So the 6th is going to be bigger than the last rally,” Denney wrote, “I can’t tell you everything I know over media here but it’s gonna be big.”
Denney also said he was in touch with several chapters of the Proud Boys who they would join, according to court documents.
“Got the room booked,” Denney told Hazard. “We are teaming up with thousands of others that will be in the same hotel and the one around it. I wish I could tell you more but I can’t over messenger. But bro, you’re going to love it and it’s going to be historic.”
On December 30, Denney said he would pick Hazard up “to get a helmet and pick up some other gear,” adding later that he had “picked us each up a bottle of police grade pepper spray.”
Recruitment
In attempts to recruit others, Denney sent Facebook messages saying it would be a “historic rally” and that he had “plans to meet with about 1 thousand other guys that we are all in a Intel chatroom together,” according to the court documents.
In one of these recruitment messages, Denney wrote “It’s the rally Trump has called for. It’s the day that Congress is going to try and certify the results with the electorial [sic] college. But Pence oversees that and he can deny the ones from the states that cheated.”
Denney wrote that Trump wanted them in attendance to fight alleged Black Lives Matter protestors and Antifa.
According to other messages on Facebook detailed in court records, Denney said he received “a lot of donations” and that “everything is plenty paid” including travel and hotel rooms. He also wrote that he had linked up with militias across the country.
Aftermath
On the night of January 6, Hazard sent messages and made comments on social media praising the riot, according to Justice Department court filings.
“I had to fight several cops,” he wrote. “I charged the cops and got in a fight with a lot of them. I got beat up and beat with they’re clubs and maced.”
“We took over the capital and had Democrat politicians hiding like the cowards they are,” Hazard wrote, and separately wrote, “If I died here today it would be an honor as well!!!!”
According to court documents, Denney also made comments and sent messages online about the riot, but blamed Antifa and the police for the violence. “The whole thing was instigated on purpose,” he wrote.
He also sent messages to Hazard telling him to “keep [quiet] this week.”
“Remember don’t talk about certain things to anyone. You know what I mean,” Denney wrote to Hazard.
Hazard replied, “Yep I know exactly what you mean.”
Hazard appeared before a magistrate judge in Texas on Wednesday. CNN reached out to the attorney listed for Hazard but did not receive a response. An attorney was not listed for Denney.
The-CNN-Wire
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