Retired Officer Tried to Gouge Out Eyes of Capitol Police Officer
Ex-NYPD Officer Brutally Attacked Capitol Police
(DC) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reviewed multiple sources of video and were able to note several acts of violence by Thomas Webster. Webster is one of the insurrectionists who attempted to take over the Capitol on January 6. Webster was honorably discharged from the marines. He then became an officer with the New York Police Department. He retired in 2011, after putting in 20 years with the department. He has had plenty of training on how to attack people and it seems he chose to use that training against fellow police officers.
The FBI has stated that Webster attacked officers with a flag pole, he yanked off masks, charged officers and tackled one to the ground, then straddling him as he assaulted the officer. What I have seen in print is that Webster “charges right at the officer with ‘clenched fists.'” I have to agree with Twitter user RAVEN le MAVEN (@Redrum_of_Crows) that what is really happening is Webster is attempting to gouge out the eyes of the officer. Raven even posts some examples of eye gouge training which show the same hand positioning.
Webster Intended to Cause Harm
Webster has admitted to bringing a gun to Washington, D.C., which in itself is a crime. He says he left the gun in his hotel room, but the federal prosecutors don’t believe that. They believe he had the gun with him at the Capitol. Due to his bulky clothes, the FBI has not been able to prove Webster had the gun with him. They were able to tell that Webster was wearing a bullet proof vest. It’s clear that Webster went to the Capitol with the expectation of being involved in a battle. He used a flag pole as a weapon to beat a Capitol police officer, then a metal pipe. Once the officer took the pipe away, Webster went for the officers eyes and screamed “commie motherfucker” at the officer while he was attacking him.
Please remember that an officer did lose an eye in the battle. I don’t believe it was this officer, since the FBI knows who he is, but one has to wonder if Webster is responsible for the injury to the officer who did lose his eye.
Federal Charges Filed Against Webster
According to NBC News.com,
“Webster faces charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers with a deadly weapon, obstruction of law enforcement, knowingly entering a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority with a weapon, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restrictive building or grounds with a weapon, engaging in physical violence in a restrictive building or grounds, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.”
What’s concerning is that if Webster chooses to plead guilty, he could get as little as five years in prison. Per NBC New York,
“Gianforti said federal sentencing guidelines would recommend a prison term of at least five years in prison if Webster chose not to go to trial and pleaded guilty to the charges. If convicted at trial, the recommended prison term would be much higher, he said.”
They need to throw the book as this man. He knows what it’s like to be an officer. He knows what the job is. This man has no loyalty to his fellow officers or to his country. He was there because he wanted to hurt people and he didn’t care who those people were.
Police Union Disgusted by Webster’s Actions
I was so glad to see the New York City Police Benevolence Association take a stand against the actions of Thomas Webster. The NYC PBA posted on Twitter,
“This was a disgusting assault on our Capitol Police brothers & sisters, on our government and on everything that NYC police officers stand for. Even worse: the suspect once wore our uniform. Justice must be swift and severe.”
I don’t know what the tipping point was for them, the attack on the officers or attacking the Capitol, but whichever, they did the right thing.