Man Charged for Storming US Capitol After Match on Dating App Reported Him to FBI
14:35 GMT 24.07.2021 (Updated: 15:23 GMT 24.07.2021)
© AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta
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Five people – four protesters and one policeman – were killed and more than a hundred law enforcement officers were injured after supporters of former US President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on 6 January. Over 500 people were charged for their role in the unrest, but police continue to search for other protesters.
A Houston man has been charged over his role in the storming of the US Capitol after his match on dating app reported him to the FBI, local media reported. According to the criminal complaint, Andrew Taake, 32, told his match about attending the January protest from "the very beginning".
He then sent a selfie showing himself after being sprayed by police and admitted to being inside the Capitol building "for approximately 30 minutes".
The criminal complaint says the FBI then discovered publicly posted photos, which indeed showed Taake inside the building. According to the agency, the 32-year-old carried "a metal whip and pepper spray", which he used to attack police officers.
Andrew Taake is charged with assaulting Capital Police with a metal whip and is the co-owner of Hi-Flow Houston, a home cleaning and pressure washing service in Houston. pic.twitter.com/XHdwYJ9ziW
— Still Learning (@DonChaney2) July 24, 2021
ALERT: Feds charge Texas man with assaulting police with *metal whip* and chemical spray outside Capitol on Jan 6
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 23, 2021
Court filings say federal agents used messages & location info from the BUMBLE dating app to make case against Andrew Taake of Houston-area pic.twitter.com/1RvubgE5qM
He is now facing several charges, including engaging in “physical violence against any person or property in any restricted building or grounds”, entering restricted building, engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct as well as attempting to obstruct the work of law enforcement.
This is the second time that a dating app or rather its user helped law enforcement to find individuals who took part in the storming of the Capitol. In April, a man from New York was arrested by the FBI after he bragged on Bumble about taking part in the protest.
"I did storm the Capitol. I made it all the way into [the National] Statuary Hall", wrote Robert Chapman to his date.
"We are not a match", the woman wrote.
"I suppose not", Chapman replied.
The FBI then found photos posted on the man’s second account on Facebook showing him inside the building.
What Happened on 6 Janaury?
On that day, members of Congress were convening to certify the results of the election, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden. However, the incumbent Republican president refused to concede defeat. He claimed that the vote had been rigged and that Biden won thanks to widespread voter irregularities, a claim that his allies and supporters strongly backed. While lawmakers were gathered in the Capitol, Trump held a rally that was attended by thousands of his supporters.
Addressing the crowd, Donald Trump and other speakers at the rally reiterated claims about the election being stolen. Trump also called on his audience to "march" on Congress.
"You are the people that built this nation. You have to get your people to fight", the president told his supporters.
During the rally hundreds of supporters headed to the Capitol, with a large group people storming into the building. Five protesters and a policeman were killed and more than a hundred law enforcement officers were injured as Trump supporters breached the building.
Following the incident, the Democrats accused Trump of inciting an "insurrection" and introduced an impeachment article against him. The Republican POTUS became the first US president to be impeached twice. The four-day trial ended with lawmakers acquitting Trump.
