Charges: Minneapolis man bragged he 'beat the s**t' out of cops during Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A screengrab from body camera footage, purportedly showing Brian Mock shoving a Capitol police officer to the ground.
Department of Justice
Two Minnesotans were arrested and charged Friday in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol building, with one accused of attacking two different police officers on the scene.
Brian Christopher Mock, of Minneapolis, faces four charges, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Capitol breach database:
- Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers
- Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds without Lawful Authority; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds
- Obstruction of Law Enforcement During Civil Disorder
- Acts of Physical Violence in any of the Capitol Buildings or Grounds
According to the charges, the 42-year-old can be seen on body camera video shoving one U.S. Capitol police officer to the ground around 2:30 p.m. outside the Capitol, then kicking that officer. About 4 minutes later, video again allegedly shows Mock shove a different police officer to the ground. He then picked up multiple shields that had been used by police and passed them to others in the mob.
Between the incidents, he can be heard yelling: "Get out, go!"
After an appeal for information, the FBI was able to identify Mock on May 1, and began piecing together submitted tips from both witnesses and persons familiar with Mock. This information included screenshots, videos and text from posts, in which Mock and his girlfriend admitted to being at and participating in the Capitol riot, even bragging about getting pepper sprayed as they "stormed the Frontline."
One tipster told the FBI Mock “went to DC specifically for this. He is home bragging about beating up cops and destroying property in the capital." Another witness said Mock, since returning home, had bee bragging he "beat the s**t" out of a police officer.
A warrant for Mock's Facebook account also revealed posts he made prior in the days after the insurrection, saying he went to D.C. having said "goodbye to my 4 children, not sure I was going to come home."
Mock was arrested in Minneapolis Friday, June 11, and was scheduled to make a court appearance that afternoon.
Austin man and his father also charged
Authorities say the subjects in this photo from Jan. 6, 2021, are Daniel Johnson (blue circle) and his father Daryl Johnson (red circle).
Department of Justice
A second Minnesota man was also arrested and charged Friday. Daniel Johnson, 29, of Austin is charged with:
- Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building
- Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building
- Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building
- Parading, Demonstrating or Picketing in a Capitol Building
He's accused of storming the U.S. Capitol building unlawfully, and according to the charges against him wrote in private messages: "We stormed capitol hill" and "Lol Dad and I were one of the first ones inside."
The complaint says investigators identified Johnson and his father, Daryl Johnson of Iowa, through a combination of video footage from the riot, as well as tips from three complainants. Investigators compared clothing the two wore in Facebook posts with clothing seen in footage from the Capitol building.
They also asked locals in Iowa to help confirm their identities. An officer for the St. Ansgar Police Department said he was familiar with the family because Daryl Johnson's father was mayor of the town at one point, for example.
Search warrants for both men's Facebook pages also uncovered posts and photos placing them at the scene.
Daniel Johnson was arrested in Austin, Minnesota on Friday, June 11. Daryl Johnson was taken into custody in Iowa.
