Christian Manley, Capitol Rioter Caught on Video Pepper Spraying Police, Arrested
An Alabama man who allegedly used pepper spray on Capitol police officers on January 6 has been arrested, according to reports.
Christian Matthew Manley, 26, originally from Alabama, was arrested in Alaska on Friday on charges related to the riots at the Capitol, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
He now faces seven charges including assaulting police officers, disorderly conduct and engaging in violence in a restricted building, during the assault on the Capitol.
A criminal complaint, shared by an FBI officer in Alabama on October 5, said in August officers interviewed a relative of Manley who said he had discussed going to the January 6 rally a month before it took place.
FBI agents then reviewed Capitol CCTV footage as well as publicly shared videos that showed what happened during the riot.
The complaint, seen by Newsweek, said Manley could be seen in the Lower West Terrace, approaching the archway entrance to the Capitol while holding what appeared to be a pepper spray container.
It continued: "Manley can be seen inside the Lower West Terrace archway while U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department Officers were defending the entrance from rioters trying to enter the Capitol.
"At approximately 2:53 p.m., Manley (circled in red) can be seen spraying pepper spray at the officers from a container that resembles the container seen in the previous screenshot."
Manley could then be seen allegedly "throwing the empty pepper spray canister at the officers a few seconds later."
The complaint said Manley was then given a metal rod from another rioter and could then be seen throwing the same rod at officers.
Minutes later Manley allegedly moved closer to the officers and braced himself against a walk to use his body to push a door against officers who were trying to defend the entrance.
The FBI also said that a cellphone associated with Manley was in the area of the Capitol at the time of the riots.
Manley is being held at the Anchorage Correctional Center, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
He is set to appear at court in Anchorage, but it will then be moved to Washington D.C. Lisa Houghton, a spokesperson at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska told the outlet.
Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska for comment.
More than 600 people across the U.S. have been arrested in connection to the riot at the Capitol on January 6.
Defendant Daniel Rodriguez, who is accused of tasing Washington D.C. Police Officer Michael Fanone, said he was acting "on behalf" of former President Donald Trump.
Rodriguez admitted to tasing Fanone during the riot while insisting he "wasn't trying to kill him" in a purported confession.
He also called himself "stupid" and credited pro-Trump conspiracy theorist and Infowars host Alex Jones for becoming willing to physically "fight" for him.
The riot happened after a rally organized by former President Trump with supporters descending on the Capitol in order to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.
Supporters of the former President hoped to disrupt a joint session of Congress that would formalize Joe Biden as the winner of the election.
