Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 37
- Location
- Pennsylvania
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon, Inflicting Bodily Injury and Aiding and Abetting (2 counts); Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, Resulting in Significant Bodily Injury and Aiding and Abetting; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building or Grounds; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings and Aiding and Abetting; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Dismissed in part or full
Case Summary
The government has accused Ryan Samsel of assaulting a Capitol Police officer outside of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Around 12:50 p.m., prosecutors say, a group of people including Samsel approached a barricade outside of the Capitol and started pushing it, knocking an officer to the ground. The officer hit her head on a set of stairs and fell unconscious, the documents indicate. At that point, Samsel picked her up and said, "We don't have to hurt you, why are you standing in our way?" The officer later collapsed, blacked out and was diagnosed with a concussion at a local hospital. After the incident at the barricade, prosecutors say, Samsel continued to move toward the crowds by the Capitol and "attempted to pull a riot shield from a uniformed U.S. Capitol Police Officer." Samsel is currently wanted by police in Riverside, N.J., for allegedly committing assault, federal prosecutors noted.
Case History
Samsel pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Bench trial verdict on 2/2/2024 finds him Guilty on eight charges: Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon and Inflicting Bodily Injury and Aiding and Abetting; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building or Grounds; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings and Aiding and Abetting; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon. Not Guilty on the other 4 charges. Sentencing reset for 2/14/2025. On 9/3/2024, the Court orders dismissal of Obstruction charge.On 1/21/2025, the court grants the government’s motion to dismiss the case with prejudice.
Sources
- Primary Documentation
NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR - Primary Documentation
Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR - Supporting Reporting
NPR video evidence pageNPR
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.