The FBI has released photos of seven MAGA mob rioters wanted for beating and tasing a police officer as they screamed ‘kill him with his own gun’ during the Capitol siege.
DC Metropolitan Police Officer Mike Fanone, 40, suffered a mild heart attack after being attacked during the violent January 6 siege at the US Capitol.
Fanone, who is a father-of-four, was among the officers who were overpowered and beaten while trying to stop the rioters from storming the building.
The FBI Washington Field Office has released images of the seven suspects they say were involved in the assault on Fanone.
The photos are from images and footage that were taken of the violence scenes at the Capitol.
Authorities are now seeking the public’s help in identifying those suspects.
In a press conference last week, Fanone described being attacked by the mob and said rioters had tried to grab his gun and yelled: ‘Kill him with his own gun’.
‘It looked like a medieval battle scene,’ Fanone, who rushed to the Capitol after hearing an urgent call for back-up on the radio, said.
He was among the officers who tried to defend the West Terrace.
At the time, Fanone and his colleagues were unaware that protesters had already breached the Capitol and were inside.
He recalled being dragged away from the doors to the Capitol by rioters.
Photographs from the scene showed him screaming as he tried to fight them off.
Fanone said that he and his colleagues had mace sprayed in their faces, had their batons stolen and were then beaten with them.
‘We were getting chemical irritants sprayed,’ he said.
‘They had pipes and different metal objects, batons, some of which I think they had taken from law enforcement personnel. They had been striking us with those.’
He said it was impossible to fight the crowd.
Fanone said some of the rioters tried to grab his gun and he feared they were going to shoot him.
He said he believes he was only spared because he pleaded with rioters not to kill him for the sake of his children.
‘Some guys started getting a hold of my gun and they were screaming out: ‘Kill him with his own gun. So, the other option I thought of was to try to appeal to somebody’s humanity. And I just remember yelling out that I have kids. And it seemed to work,’ he said.
He said some of the rioters then protected him from the others. Of those who shielding him, Fanone said: ‘Thank you, but f*** you for being there.’
Dozens of rioters have already been arrested by the FBI over their involvement in the Capitol siege.