SNOW HILL, N.C. (WNCT) — A couple from Snow Hill, North Carolina have been arrested and are facing charges related to their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.
The United States Department of Justice announced Monday morning that Curtis Davis, 45, and Tonya Bishop, 48, both from Snow Hill, have been charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. The couple is also charged with several misdemeanors:
- Entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds
- Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds
- Engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds
- Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building
- Act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings
- Parading, picketing, and demonstrating in a Capitol building
Davis and Bishop were arrested on December 8 in Snow Hill. They were scheduled to make initial court appearances at 10 a.m. on Monday in the Eastern District of North Carolina in Greenville, according to the USCourts.gov website.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte and Washington field offices.
According to 17 pages of court documents that have been released, officials have photos that show Davis and Bishop identified in open-source video both outside and inside the Capitol building on January 6, 2021. Officials say the video and photos show Davis wearing a black beanie-style hat with a U.S. flag containing a thin blue line, sunglasses, a gray and tan coat, a blue/gray shirt depicting a skull containing a thin blue line, stars, and stripes, and a gray, long-sleeve shirt. Bishop is seen wearing light-colored gloves, the same blue sweatshirt with stars and stripes, including a hood with white stars described above, and a black jacket with pink writing on the back.
The FBI also has surveillance video from inside the Capitol building that shows both entering and joining up with others who clashed with law enforcement as they tried to disperse the rioters.
“Davis then moved away from the police officers before he re-engaged and again punched law enforcement officers,” the report states. Officials also said Davis was seen “aggressively yelling at officers and was physically restrained by Bishop.” One of the videos then showed Davis as he fought with law enforcement.
Court documents say Davis also “threw punches at multiple police officers and made contact with at least one Metropolitan Police Department officer. In subsequent video footage, Davis stated that he had injured the knuckles on his hand during the confrontation. Bishop is also seen on security footage as she placed her hands on and pushed police officers who were attempting to disperse rioters from the Rotunda.”
Other body-camera footage showed Davis and Bishop attack and try to seize control of an MPD officer’s baton while also shoving and punching an officer, according to the statement of facts.
Court documents say Davis and Bishop “forcibly resisted, impeded, and interfered with MPD officers who were attempting to remove rioters from the Rotunda. Body-worn camera footage showed Bishop as she resisted and refused an MPD officer’s attempt to move her several times.”
The statement also mentions Bishop telling police, “You can’t turn on Americans,” and then proceeded to put both hands on an MPD officer’s baton before another officer pushed her away.
Another video shows both outside the Capitol building. Officials said Bishop was encouraging others to remain inside the building. At one point, he was asking those exiting the Capitol, “Why is everybody walking the wrong way?” and “This is our one chance” along with “I’m ready to go back in because this is our f— building.”
Davis was also present during this and was identified as he took pictures and filmed Bishop.
WJZY’s Matthew Merrick contributed to this story.