Dallas actor accused of assaulting Capitol Police with a crutch during insurgency

A Dallas actor who allegedly used a crutch to attack police officers during the January uprising and the siege of the U.S. Capitol has been arrested and charged in federal court, authorities said on Friday.

Luke Russell Coffee, 41, was captured on video and in photographs charging officers with a single crutch during the January 6 riot, according to an FBI affidavit.

A Baylor graduate, Coffee said in an online biography that he moved to Hollywood after college to pursue a film career. He said he worked on two prime-time TV shows for Warner Brothers and NBC / Universal. Coffee said he returned to his hometown Dallas in 2010 to start a production company.

Coffee, who attended Highland Park High School, is at least the 13th North Texan to face riot-related charges.

He has been charged with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon, interfering with a law enforcement officer during civil unrest, obstructing official proceedings, entering illegal on restricted grounds and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Coffee’s lawyer could not be reached on Friday for comment.

A college classmate who is an FBI agent helped identify Coffee, authorities said. The US attorney’s office has filed a motion to detain Coffee pending trial. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 8.

The FBI received several tips on Coffee, and a witness reported seeing a video on social media in which Coffee discussed several conspiracy theories, according to an affidavit.

A Dallas FBI agent followed up on advice called Coffee on January 13. Coffee admitted he had gone to the Capitol on the day of the riot and was holding a crutch, but denied being involved in any physical confrontations with police, the affidavit said.

He said he drove from Dallas to Washington in a truck on Jan.4 and arrived the next day, according to the FBI.

The FBI agent who went to college with Coffee saw his former classmate’s social media posts show him on Capitol Hill on Jan.6 before the posts were “blocked from the public,” the report said. affidavit.

The man authorities say is Coffee is seen wearing a cowboy hat, camouflage jacket, bandana and gray backpack. Shortly after 4 p.m., he was on the steps of the entrance to the Capitol’s lower terrace, according to the FBI.

He turned to the crowd and “appeared to make several statements, none of which were audible,” according to the FBI.

He then joined violent rioters who were fighting with Capitol Police and Washington, DC Metropolitan Police officers, who were defending the building in the Lower Terrace tunnel area, according to the FBI. While trying to prevent rioters from entering the building, police were hit with various objects thrown and many were injured, authorities said.

The cafe is seen on body camera footage of officers contacting police around 4:30 p.m. and pushing the crutch into a line of officers, the affidavit states.

“After being forced to leave the officers, Coffee charged the officers while still holding the crutch,” the affidavit states. “It seems… Coffee intended to use the crutch more as a blunt weapon.”

The officers must have detained him, said the FBI.

Coffee said on his website that he has produced and directed music videos, web content and advertisements. His website also said he was co-starring in NBC’s Friday night lights and had a “lead role” in a Ridley Scott film titled The hunt.