Three more Tampa Bay area men charged in Jan. 6 insurrection
TAMPA, Fla. - Three men from the Tampa Bay Area are the latest of 73 Floridians to face charges related to the insurrection at the Capitol Building on January 6 of last year.
Florida leads the nation in the number of those charged for participating in the deadly riot that temporarily stopped the counting of the electoral vote and led to the second impeachment of former President Donald Trump.
In the latest indictments, Alan Fischer, III, of Tampa, is accused of trying to force his way into the Capitol with a mob that injured several members of the Capitol police.
Alan Fischer, III, of Tampa, pictured at Jan. 6 riot, courtesy FBI charging documents
The FBI documents on their charges show pictures of Fischer, who lives in South Tampa and goes by "AJ," taking part in the mob at the lower west terrace exterior, near where a stage was being constructed for the upcoming inauguration of President Joe Biden.
RELATED: 4 Central Florida men among 11 charged with seditious conspiracy for role in Capitol riot
Alan Fischer, III, of Tampa, pictured at Jan. 6 riot, courtesy FBI charging documents
At 3:15 p.m., Fischer walked through the archway to the tunnel and joined other rioters in pushing against the line of Capitol officers trying to protect members of Congress.
That was an hour after those members were forced to stop counting the electoral votes, which would have been followed by the certification of the election of Joe Biden.
sdf
Agents say for 45 minutes, Fischer - who is allegedly a member of the Proud Boys - and other rioters, "collectively pushed against the officers, at times rocking together in coordinated fashion, in an effort to gain entry."
Agents say Fischer, at times, yelled "push" and helped steal the officers' shields.
Alan Fischer, III, of Tampa, pictured throwing an orange cone in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, courtesy FBI charging documents
Over a year later, he has been charged with civil disorder and assaulting or resisting officers using a dangerous weapon.
"This investigation, these cases, is probably one of the largest prosecutions in the history of our country," legal analyst Anthony Rickman said of the inquiry into the Jan. 6 attempt to overthrow the U.S. government.
Adding to the 700 arrests, 73 from Florida, are Zachary Johnson of St. Petersburg and Dion Rajewski of Largo.
The FBI said Johnson used pepper spray against police and carried a sledgehammer into the Capitol.
They say Rajewski used pepper spray.
Tampa Bay area Capitol riot suspects Dion Rajewski, Alan Fischer, III, Zachary Johnson
As the investigation presses forward and more alleged members of the violent mob are arrested, Rickman points out that, despite several sentences being handed down for some of the rioters, there has yet to be a courtroom test of any of the cases.
"Nobody has actually tried a case yet," Rickman said, speaking generally about the cases the government has brought. "Everybody has been pleading because the evidence is so strong against these individuals."
Images of Billy Knutson are shown in the criminal complaint filed by federal authorities.
MORE: Man accused of storming Capitol made rap videos about riot
In the case of Fischer, agents uncovered several videos from Jan. 6 that show him allegedly taking part in the rioting, showing screenshots in the charging documents.
As the crowd lingered, agents say video clearly shows Fischer throwing a traffic cone, and then a pole, and then a chair.
"It's our worst nightmare coming true," said the chief of Metro DC police, Robert Contee in January 2021. "An attack on American democracy right here in the nation's capital. It was horrifying. It was despicable."
A lawyer for Alan Fischer told FOX 13 he is unable to comment on the case.