A man who has previously been identified as a participant in the January 6, 2021, insurrection was arrested on Thursday near former US President Barack Obama’s house in Washington, DC, multiple news outlets reported.
The suspect, Taylor Taranto, was seen by the US Secret Service blocks away from the Obamas’ house, according to CBS News. Taranto, 37, ran toward the Obamas’ house and was then apprehended. He has reportedly been charged as a fugitive from justice. According to ABC News, a search of Taranto’s van yielded several guns and materials that could be used to create a Molotov cocktail. Police said in a statement that there was no ongoing threat to the community.
Law enforcement had an open warrant for Taranto’s arrest for an alleged assault at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, CBS News reported. Taranto had posted a video online of himself inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and faces a lawsuit alleging he “directly aided, abetted and encouraged” the attack on Metropolitan Police officer Jeffrey Smith during the insurrection. (Smith was one of four officers who died by suicide following the Capitol riot.)
According to NBC News, Taranto had also recently appeared to be posting alarming messages on his social media accounts about Obama, including reposting a Truth Social post on Thursday from former US president Donald Trump that purported to include Obama’s home address.
The Metropolitan Police Department and a spokesperson for Obama did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article said the suspect had weapons as he ran toward Obama’s house. He did not have weapons on him.