A California woman has been charged with taking a cache of weapons, including a sword, a steel whip, and a knife, into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by a mob of Donald Trump supporters, according to court records unsealed Wednesday.
The woman had a short sword, a steel tactical whip, a collapsible baton, pepper spray, a butterfly knife, and a flashlight taser in her possession when a U.S. Secret Service officer searched her backpack, according to an FBI affidavit.
She was arrested in Los Angeles last month on charges including disorderly conduct and possession of a dangerous weapon in a Capitol building.
More than 1,400 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Rioters were armed with an array of weapons on Jan. 6, including firearms, knives, and stun guns. Many others used items like flagpoles and broken pieces of office furniture as makeshift weapons during the siege.
The woman was charged with another individual who flew with her from California to Washington, D.C. They attended Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House before heading to the Capitol.
Video evidence shows the woman entering the Capitol through a broken window wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat and a tactical vest. She was seen with a sword strapped to her leg by a Secret Service officer.
After her arrest, the woman told the FBI that she had retrieved the backpack containing the weapons from her hotel room after attending Trump's speech. She referred to the confiscated weapons as “tools” and admitted they were in her possession when she entered the Capitol.
The woman was released from custody after her arrest in July. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and her attorney has not provided a statement.
