Federal authorities charged Shane Jason Woods, 43, of Auburn, Illinois with assaulting law enforcement officers as well as assaulting other individuals, specifically a member of the media who was covering the January 6th domestic terrorist attack at the Capitol. It marks the first case in which an insurrectionist is charged with assaulting a journalist covering the coup attempt.
Woods reportedly tripped a police officer who was chasing a person who had sprayed her and other officers with bear spray. He then set about tearing down barricades around a media staging area and destroying media equipment. When a network photographer came to retrieve his equipment, Woods tackled the man, causing him to drop and damage his camera.
The attacks were caught on a number of different cell phone videos that were subsequently posted on social media.
Woods is charged with assault on a law enforcement officer; assault in special maritime and territorial jurisdiction; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, among other charges.