Man already jailed for shooting man in the head also charged with assaulting police during Capitol riot
(Timothy Desjardins, Image credit: DoJ)
A Rhode Island man has been charged with assaulting law enforcement with a dangerous weapon during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6. The insurrection at the Capitol disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Timothy Desjardins, 35, of Providence, was charged with engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a dangerous weapon, among other charges. The criminal complaint was unsealed on November 29 in the District of Columbia.
Desjardins is currently in a a Rhode Island prison on unrelated charges and will make his initial court appearance in that case at a date to be scheduled later.
Providence police detectives arrested a 35-year-old man Friday and charged him with felony assault, accusing him of firing a shot that grazed the head of another man in the parking lot of a Walgreen’s on Sept. 26.
Timothy Desjardins fired the shot during a dispute on Sunday night involving the two men’s complaints about each other’s driving in the lot of the pharmacy on Atwells Avenue, said Providence police Cmdr Thomas Verdi.
Officer Louis Prete reportedly recognized Desjardins from surveillance photos, and Detective Matt Pine obtained an arrest warrant as well as a warrant for a search of Desjardins’ business at 374 Atwells Ave. ~ The Providence Journal
But getting back to his involvement in the Capitol riot, according to court documents, video footage depicts Desjardins assaulting multiple law enforcement officers in the tunnel area of the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol, at approximately 4:46 p.m. on January 6, using what appears to be a broken wooden table leg. At the time, law enforcement was under assault from a crowd of other rioters who were pushing themselves into the tunnel and hurling various objects, such as a baton and table, at the officers.
Desjardins also allegedly attempted to enter a restricted area behind the FBI headquarters in D.C. on January 7. According to a tip submitted by an FBI officer, Desjardins said he was at the Capitol the day earlier, but would not go into detail.
At the time, the officer said, Desjardins had “one or two hatchets with paracord wrapped handles on the side of his dark colored backpack and Desjardins mentioned that he was good with them.” ~ WUSA-9
In the ten months since January 6, more than 675 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 210 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips regarding the January 6 riot at the Capitol is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
For more on Desjardins’ involvement in the insurrection, see the video accompanying this article.
Also see:
- Timothy Desjardins, Criminal Complaint (redacted)
- Timothy Desjardins, Statement of Facts (redacted)
- More Capitol Riot Arrests
(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Columbia)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
