A Massachusetts man faced charges on Thursday for attempting to assassinate a cabinet member candidate and for carrying dangerous weapons in the Capitol. This follows his arrest in late January.
Ryan English, 24, allegedly planned to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent before his confirmation, as stated by the Department of Justice (DOJ). He was found with two Molotov cocktails and a knife on the premises.
English possessed a 50ml container of a hazardous substance, obscured by a grey cloth, and a green lighter. In a letter addressed to a family, he expressed remorse, saying, “This is terrible, but we can’t do anything while the Nazis are killing their sisters…I’m sorry for lying and lying.”
Originally, officials noted that he and his associates had aimed to target House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Defense Secretary Pete Hegses. However, they decided to shift their focus to Bescent when they realized his confirmation hearing would align with a congressional visit.
He faces charges for carrying dangerous weapons and illegal possession of incendiary devices in relation to the incident.
The DOJ also indicated that he had traveled to the Columbia area with plans to harm government officials or attack a Washington, D.C. think tank.
Currently, he remains in custody and made his initial court appearance on Thursday.
A detention hearing is forthcoming.
