BUFFALO, N.Y. — (Editor's note: The above video was originally published in July 2021)
A Buffalo man facing charges in connection with the insurrection at the nation's capital on January 6 is being released into the custody of his parents.
That's according to Matthew Russell Lee, a reporter for Inner City Press, who is covering the trial.
Thomas Sibick was indicted this past April in federal court in connection to events that happened at the U.S. Capitol building.
The 35-year-old faces charges that stem from an assault on Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone, plus other events that happened during the Capitol insurrection.
Sibick faces several charges, including:
- Obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting;
- civil disorder;
- assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers;
- entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds;
- disorderly and disruptive conduct on restricted building or grounds;
- impeding ingress and egress in a restricted building or grounds;
- engaging in physical violence on restricted building or grounds;
- impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings;
- acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings;
- and robbery.
In court documents, prosecutors say Sibick can be seen through the lens of a body camera, reaching for the officer, and that Sibick can be seen posing with an officer's shield. Prosecutors also show a picture of the bulletproof vest, showing the hole where the badge was.
Court documents state Sibick came back to Amherst and buried the badge in his backyard, something prosecutors say he kept changing his story about.
Defense attorneys for Sibick argued he was just trying to help pull the officer away from the rioters. Prosecutors say Sibick went on social media, saying he was in the riot, and saying in a post, "Wildest experience in my life."