An active-duty U.S. Marine Corps officer was charged Thursday with assaulting a Capitol Police officer during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Maj. Christopher Warnagiris, 40, of Woodbridge, Virginia, is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, obstruction of justice, and other charges.
He is expected to appear in court Thursday afternoon.
Prosecutors say Maj. Warnagiris violently pushed through a line of police officers to enter a door to the Capitol. Once inside, he used his body to keep the door open and pull others into the building, according to court documents.
When a Capitol Police officer tried to pull the door shut, Maj. Warnagiris resisted, pushing the officer and continuing to keep the door open, prosecutors said.
An FBI affidavit said a witness who formerly worked with Maj. Warnagiris identified him photographs posted on the internet and contacted the authorities.
The witness expressed “high confidence” that Maj. Warnagiris is the man in the video pushing the officer, according to court documents.
A second witness, who is also a co-worker, also fingered Maj. Warnagiris, prosecutors said.
At least 140 police officers were injured during the Capitol riot when supporters of Mr. Trump invaded the building to stop Congress from certifying President Biden’s election victory.
