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Tear gas explodes at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as supporters of President Donald Trump breached security after his reelection defeat. | Photo courtesy of Tyler Merbler/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
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A Glendora man has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of destruction of government property for crimes related to the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021, which disrupted a joint session of Congress that was in the process of counting the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Hunter Ehmke, 21, was part of a large crowd gathered that afternoon outside the Rotunda Doors on the east side of the Capitol building. He jumped onto the ledge of a window with multiple panes, which leads to an office inside. Using his right foot, Ehmke kicked in the three lower panes of the window, shattering them, according to federal prosecutors.
Using his right fist, he then smashed two additional windowpanes. According to the Architect of the Capitol, the damage to the five broken windowpanes totaled $2,821.
Ehmke was arrested on Jan. 13, 2021. He is expected to be sentenced on May 11 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
In the one year since Jan. 6, more than 725 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol breach, including more than 225 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
