At Least Two Bay Area Residents Took Part in Capitol Riot Mob

It was an emotional first day of hearings in the House Select Committee investigation of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. 

Four officers who were subject to extreme violence from a mob of Trump supporters in defense of the Capitol and the legislators inside testified to the select committee Tuesday. All four officers — DC Metropolitan Police Officers Daniel Hodges and Michael Fanone and Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell — detailed their experiences that day and called on the committee to get to the truth about what happened and who was involved. 

Dunn said:

“There was an attack carried out on Jan. 6, and a hitman sent them. I want you to get to the bottom of that.”

Dunn held nothing back in explaining the assault and the rampant racism directed at him, being called the N-word repeatedly by the overwhelmingly white male crowd.

Fanone grew angry about how he and his fellow officers were treated, saying:     

“But yet they tortured me. They beat me. I was struck with a taser device at the base of my skull numerous times. And they continued to do so, until I yelled out that I have kids.” 

The committee members, including the two Republicans, were visibly moved by the testimony, with Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois) fighting back tears at one point as he addressed the officers he called heroes. 

Bay Area Ties

Reality is the toxic stew lurks in our own backyard. Lest we forget, some of those in the mob came from right here in the Bay Area.

Evan Neumann, 48, of Mill Valley, Calif. was charged, including assault on officers, for his part in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. (Photo courtesy of DOJ)

The indictment for Evan Neumann, 48, of Mill Valley was unsealed June 30. He was charged for several offenses earlier in March after FBI agents found photos and video of Neumann verbally and physically assaulting officers, telling them at one point, “I’m willing to die, are you?” He’s seen striking officers with barricades and throwing punches at them. 

Mariposa Castro, a yoga instructor in Gilroy, was charged for unlawfully and violently entering the Capitol via a window and making a post-riot threat video telling former Vice President Mike Pence, “We’re coming…this is war.”   

Mariposa Castro of Gilroy, Calif. was charged for violently entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and making a post-riot threat of “war.” (Photos from Twitter)

Daniel Goodwyn, who proudly claims allegiance with the Proud Boys, was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Interestingly, the 32-year-old San Francisco web developer accused ‘Baked Alaska’ (Tim, or Anthime, Gionet) of doxxing him right before he voluntarily provided his full name on the livestream Baked Alaska was broadcasting. He also reportedly detailed his travel to the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally on his own social media. Goodwyn has become locally known for his false claims about the origin of Covid-19 and alleged microchips in vaccines.

Daniel Goodwyn, 32, of San Francisco, Calif. and self-proclaimed Proud Boy was arrested in Texas following his involvement in the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the FBI)

The vast majority of Californians charged, so far, in the violent attack that day hail from Southern California, but there were others from areas not far from the Bay Area in cities like Sacramento.

Not all who joined the mob have been charged for offenses, including former Oakland police officer and U.S. Army veteran Jurell Snyder who moved to Texas after leaving the department in 2015. His social media posts dripped with “boogaloo” movement and pro-Trump love, as well known conspiracy theories about “Antifa” being responsible for the Capitol riot.

The former cop was involved in two fatal shootings while he was being paid to ‘serve and protect’ the people of Oakland. The Snyder situation led to further revelations about current Oakland officers who were engaging with and liking the extremist posts. 

This article was updated after publishing to include charging information for Daniel Goodwyn.