Former Illinois National Guardsman and brother charged in Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A former Illinois National Guardsman was arrested Wednesday for breaking into the U.S. Capitol with his brother on Jan. 6, 2021, and assaulting a police officer inside.
Joseph Bierbrodt, of Sheridan, Illinois, has been charged with eight federal counts, including entering a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; physical violence in a restricted building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building; physical violence in a capitol building; assault on a federal officer; and obstruction of law enforcement.
According to the charges, Bierbrodt had been a member of the Illinois National Guard. The Illinois National Guard said Wednesday that he retired in 2018 and has not been in the guard in five years.
His brother, William Bierbrodt, of St. Cloud, Florida, has been charged with seven federal counts, including entering a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; physical violence in a restricted building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building; willfully injuring property of the United States; and obstruction of law enforcement.
According to the charges, the brothers were caught on camera during the riot, when they breached the Capitol through the Senate fire door. The FBI says the images show Joseph Bierbrodt red hat, American flag face covering, and sunglasses; and William Bierbrodt with a heavy beard, and using a cane and a mobility scooter to get around due to a foot injury.
William Bierbrodt is accused of using his cane to break a window on the Senate Wing Fire Door, and unlock it, causing more than $1,100 in damage, and letting in other rioters.
Once inside, Joseph Bierbrodt assaulted a U.S. Capitol Police officer who tried to block the crowd from getting in. He's accused of slamming the officer against a wall before moving down the hallway, where mor e officers were able to block his path.
Police then used pepper spray on the rioters, and after another altercation with police that left him bleeding from the chin, Joseph Bierbrodt left the capitol without his brother.
He later was photographed cleaning up the blood and washing pepper spray from his eyes, near his brother's scooter outside the Capitol, before helping his brother exit from the Senate Wing.
A witness who served with Joseph Bierbrodt in the Illinois National Guard later identified him from photos of the Capitol riot. Federal investigators also discovered posts from William Bierbrodt on the social media app Parler, "in which he advocated violence against members of a different political ideology" in the weeks leading up to the Capitol riot.
"The postings from 'William Martin Bierbrodt' state, in particular, 'that all the Obama cronies should be aken tied to a stack and shot in the head' and adds, 'Time for revolution French style," according to the charges.
Both brothers have been released on bond.
