Athol man charged for assault on law enforcement during January 6th insurrection

ATHOL, Mass. — A man from Athol, Massachusetts is facing federal charges tied to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Vincent J. Gillespie, 60, was arrested Friday and accused of assaulting law enforcement on that day. He will make his initial appearance Friday at the federal court in Boston.

Gillespie is named in a complaint filed in the District of Columbia with “assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, civil disorder, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and related offenses.”

According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, “Gillespie was among rioters in the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol who engaged in pushing, shoving, yelling, and fighting with law enforcement officers. He struggled his way through the crowd, eventually maneuvering through the rioters to the line of police officers defending the Lower West Terrace’s exterior door. At one point, he gained control of a police shield as he approached the officers. Gillespie used the shield to ram the law enforcement officers, continuing to scream “traitor” and “treason” at the police. He also grabbed a law enforcement officer by the arm and attempted to pull him into the crowd.”

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Vincent Gillespie of Athol MA, FBI court document image Vincent Gillespie of Athol MA, FBI court document image

The Department of Justice says that in the months since January 6, more than 750 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 235 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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