Gun Barrel City man arrested on obstruction, violence charges related to Capitol riot

WASHINGTON – A Gun Barrel City man was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday on charges of obstruction, engaging in physical violence and others related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. According to our news partner KETK, William Sarsfield, 46 of Gun Barrel City, is identified by the FBI through surveillance footage and Metro Police bodycam footage, and can be seen “repeatedly engaging in the assault against law enforcement officers guarding the United States Capitol inside the ‘tunnel.’” After arriving in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, court documents state, Sarsfield attended the “Stop the Steal” rally and marched to the U.S. Capitol with hundreds of rioters before making his way through police lines and to the Lower West Terrace. Sarsfield is also seen on surveillance footage grabbing two police shields and passing them forward in the tunnel, and according to court documents, joined rioters in yelling “heave ho” and “push.”

Sarsfield was interviewed by the FBI in June, according to court documents, and admitted to being at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and identified himself in photos and video. Sarsfield was released from federal custody on Wednesday, and must follow the conditions of his supervised release including avoiding all contact with anyone who may be a victim or witness in the investigation, according to his conditions of release.