From the Justice Department:
A Georgia man has been charged with allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other offenses related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Leander Antwione Williams, 31, of Savannah, Georgia, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.
In addition to the felonies, Williams is charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.
The FBI arrested Williams today in Savannah and he will make his initial appearance in the Southern District of Georgia.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, it is alleged that Williams was among an initial group of rioters to breach the restricted permitter of Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C., near the Peace Monument.
There, after pushing through a crowd that had gathered near a line of bike racks, Williams confronted and overpowered Capitol Police officers stationed at the Pennsylvania Walkway perimeter. Once past this police line, Williams moved toward the Capitol’s West Plaza, where police officers were attempting to form defensive lines against the advancing rioters.
As the crowd pushed the officers back toward the Southwest Stairs leading to the West Terrace, additional support arrived from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which began dispersing rioters off the plaza.
At approximately 1:13 p.m., as MPD officers tried to maintain control of the area with metal bike racks, it is alleged that Williams attempted to seize one of these racks from an officer who was working to clear the plaza.
A minute later, as MPD continued pushing the crowd back, Williams allegedly lunged at an officer, swatting at the officer’s hand as the officer deployed spray to prevent the rioters from advancing.
Despite escalating violence between rioters and police, court documents say that Williams stayed close to the front lines, often using other rioters as cover to mask his actions.
At around 1:38 p.m., as recorded on body camera footage from an MPD officer, Williams approached the bike rack barricades again. A few minutes later, Williams allegedly grabbed a barricade with both hands, attempting to pull it back from the police line.
In response, MPD officers tried to push him away, but Williams resisted and allegedly struck an officer on the head with a forceful arm motion. Officers eventually managed to push him back down the steps.
After being repelled, Williams rejoined the rioters. At approximately 2:09 p.m., Williams again allegedly pushed against the bike rack line, attempting to break through the officers’ defensive formation, but the line held temporarily.
About 18 minutes later, with the bike racks removed, Williams returned to the officers, allegedly grabbing and shoving two officers—one from the Capitol Police and one from MPD—in another attempt to breach the line.
Following these confrontations, rioters managed to retake the West Plaza, where Williams joined in chants of “U.S.A.!” while raising his fists. After briefly treating himself for exposure to the spray used by officers, he moved towards the Lower West Terrace, a focal point of intense violence that day.
Williams remained in this area, particularly near the terrace entrance—an epicenter of violent clashes—between approximately 3:10 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., before eventually leaving the Capitol grounds in the evening.
Read the full press release.
Former football player Leander Antwione Williams #RiotingGolfer has been arrested and charged with assaulting an officer on #Jan6 https://t.co/vTtyxP7inz https://t.co/5uD5Z89vRc pic.twitter.com/2A2Jr8hV17
— SeditionHunters (@SeditionHunters) November 14, 2024
In what might be the first Jan. 6 case filed after Trump’s election last week, the FBI has arrested a Detroit Lions 5th round draft pick, Anwtione Williams, who is facing two felonies, including an assault charge https://t.co/IzwRt018J7 pic.twitter.com/7L3tJMjhtX
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) November 14, 2024
🚨BREAKING: Former #Lions LB Antwione Williams was arrested today for his involvement with the January 6th, US capitol incident.
He faces felony counts for assault, resisting, impeding officers, & obstruction of law enforcement.
The FBI identified him using a unique red key fob pic.twitter.com/BaMwp4D5ZY
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) November 15, 2024
A former NFL linebacker who played for the Detroit Lions faces charges for allegedly engaging in a series of assaults on law enforcement during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, court records show. https://t.co/UypkJ7A5WH pic.twitter.com/E8uFKtGlS6
— ABC News (@ABC) November 15, 2024
Ex-Detroit Lions draft pick Antwione Williams arrested, charged over Jan. 6 riot https://t.co/JI7dPjxfbj
— Detroit Free Press (@freep) November 14, 2024
A former NFL linebacker who played with the Detroit Lions and was later signed to the DC Defenders was arrested today for allegedly assaulting police during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. https://t.co/KEHl6391q0
— WUSA9 (@wusa9) November 14, 2024