Man charged with bringing Molotov cocktails into Capitol intended to kill Johnson, Hegseth and Bessent, police say
Man charged with bringing Molotov cocktails into Capitol intended to kill Johnson, Hegseth and Bessent, police say
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The suspect was charged with unlawful receipt, possession and/or transfer of a firearm and carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive or incendiary device on the grounds of the Capitol. English reportedly told the officers: “I’d like to turn myself in.”.
![[Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent leaves after his confirmation hearing at the Capitol]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/17/17/Trump_Cabinet_Bessent_58360.jpg)
As officers searched the man, he told them the bottles contained vodka and the grey cloth had been soaked in hand sanitizer. He told officers he was at the Capitol to “Kill Scott Bessent” and had additional Molotov cocktails in his car. Bessent is Trump’s newly confirmed Treasury secretary.
![[House Speaker Mike Johnson with Donald Trump]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/28/04/TRUMP-LEGISLADORES_48759.jpg)
Officers then searched the man’s car and located a 750 milliliter bottle of Smirnoff 100 proof vodka and a grey sweatshirt with missing fabric consistent with the cloth found on the the Absolut bottles. Authorities determined English left his home in Massachusetts on Sunday and drove to Washington D.C. with the intention of killing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. The man allegedly also had plans to burn down the Heritage Foundation two blocks from the White House.
![[Pete Hegseth was narrowly confirmed as Trump’s new defense secretary]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/28/06/AMN-GEN_PENT%C3%81GONO_83557.jpg)
He wanted to “depose these political offices and send a message,” federal prosecutors wrote. While on his way to Washington D.C., English allegedly stopped at a library in Chevy Chase, Maryland and saw Reddit posts mentioning Bessent’s confirmation hearings and altered his target. He told police he purchased the alcohol bottles to create the Molotov cocktails.
He initially wanted to use small bottles of vodka to start fires, wrap them in rags soaked in alcohol, light them and throw them at Bessent’s feet. If he managed to get close enough to Bessent, he planned to stab him with the knife he brought from home.
