Department of Justice
A Texas man was arrested today for assaulting law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
William Hendry Mellors, 50, of Tomball, Texas, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony and misdemeanor offenses, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon. He was arrested in Houston. He is to make his initial court appearance today in the Southern District of Texas.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, Mellors illegally entered the grounds of the Capitol. He was among rioters engaging in a confrontation with law enforcement officers, and he sprayed officers with a chemical substance that appeared to be a commercially available bear spray. He later was identified through photographs and other evidence. In a voluntary interview with the FBI on May 31, 2022, Mellors admitted that he brought two cannisters of bear spray with him to Washington on Jan. 6.
The use of bear spray against human beings is chemical warfare in my book...
We need enhanced penalties for deploying these products outside of their intended use...
KHOU-11
According to court documents, Mellors traveled from Houston Hobby Airport on a Southwest Airlines flight to Baltimore, Maryland on Jan. 5. He admitted to FBI investigators that he attended the pro-Trump rally on Jan. 6 and joined protestors as they made their way to the Capital that day.
Mellors and other protestors became combative with officers at the Capitol and Mellors was caught on surveillance cameras using a chemical substance to attack officers, that appeared to be a commercially available bear spray, said the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Court documents read the substance he sprayed appeared to be yellow in color and emitted from a light-colored can with a bright orange/red top. FBI investigators identified the can to be bear spray and the label on the can said the spray was not to be used on humans, according to court documents.
Mellors was identified through photographs and other evidence. In a voluntary interview with the FBI on May 31, 2022, Mellors admitted he brought two canisters of bear spray with him to Washington on Jan. 6.
We might have to start regulating their transportation as well...
Mellors is known to associate with Proud Boys and wear their colors, but I’ve yet to determine whether he’s an actual member...
ABC13
In a voluntary interview with the FBI on May 31, 2022, Mellors admitted that he brought two canisters of bear spray with him to Washington on Jan. 6.
"Mellors told agents he expected that he would be arrested for his actions on January 6, 2021," his charging document read.
Just four days before the interview, agents executed a search warrant of Mellors' Tomball home, where they seized a blue sweatshirt, a light tactical vest, a black backpack with four distinguishable patches, and a black and yellow gaiter, which were all believed to be worn by Mellors on that day.
Despite the admission, Mellors' arrest wouldn't happen until early Monday. It wasn't immediately known whether he posted bond.
The FBI continues to seek the public’s assistance in identifying individuals who participated in unlawful conduct during the Capitol Insurrection. New images are added frequently...
If you have information about individuals who participated in the largest assault on police officers in U.S. history at the Capitol Riot on January 6th, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or leave a tip online at the FBI’s website.
If you just can’t get enough information about the terrorists who tried to usurp our democracy, then these links are for you…
Department of Justice Capitol Breach Cases
FBI US Capitol Violence Most Wanted
Insider Searchable Table
George Washington University Spreadsheet — Updated Daily
NPR — Updated Database
seditiontracker.com
ProPublica Capitol Riot videos lifted from Parler
KUMU — Capitol Riot Insurrectionist Networks
Just Security — January 6th Clearinghouse
The Trace — Capitol Riot Gun Arrests
USA Today January 6 Capitol Riot Arrests
Sedition Hunters - Sedition Insiders Photo Gallery
Politico January 6 Insurrection Sentencing Tracker