Prosecutor seeks to detain U.S Capitol Suspect

U.S Capitol riots suspect George Pierre Tanios will be detained on charges based on a conspiracy with a friend and assaulting three police officers with a chemical spray where one officer died.

U.S Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi lamented a ”culture, radicalized by hate ” that played out at the Capitol on Jan.6 during a peaceful transition of power.

”Forcing yourself against law enforcement officials that had nothing but bike racks, why wouldn’t you just turn the other way and go home? The fact that all of them weren’t thinking that-it’s just frightening to me,” said Aloi.

More than 300 people have been arrested in connection with the attack that led to five deaths after a mob of then-president Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the building in a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s November election victory.

In a hearing that showed testimony from Tanios’ family prosecutors presented evidence that Tanios had purchased the bear and pepper spray which he later brought with him to the Capitol one of the sprays was used by his friend to spray police, prosecutors said.

The prosecutors also said that his mother will help his son to flee to his native Lebanon if he is released from custody.

Tanios and a friend, Julian Elie Khater, are facing multiple criminal counts, including assaulting police with a deadly weapon and obstructing an official proceeding. Both the accused are not charged with killing the officer as the cause of death remains unclear.

Tanios along with his friend traveled to attend Trump’s ”Stop the Steal.” rally on Jan 6 and shared a hotel room.

It was confirmed by khater and the manager of the store in West Virginia that Tanios had purchased cans of both bear spray and pepper spray to bring with him to Washington. Later he was told that he cannot bring firearms or pepper ball guns into the city.

In the court, she said the spraying was not done by Tanios but Khater, he was just assisted with the ”purchasing” and the ”planning” of the sprays. She also showed body cameras and open sources videos, where it can be seen that Sicknick shortly after he had been sprayed with a chemical irritant.

Tania’s  attorney Elizabeth B. Gross said the evidence presented against her client  in favor of detention was ”minimal” and ”limited.”

”There is no evidence that Mr. Tanios has a background in violence,” she said, adding that he also has strong family and community ties.