ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Three Florida men were identified and arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
One of the individuals, 28-year-old Alan Fischer III of Tampa, reportedly was identified by internet sleuths using photos from his modeling career. The Department of Justice alleges Fischer threw chairs, a traffic cone and a pole toward police officers while among the rioters who disrupted the counting of electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Fisher is accused of marching to the Capitol with members of the far-right Proud Boys group. As he and others arrived, he allegedly joined others to push against officers to gain entry into the building.
"...rioters, including Fischer, collectively pushed against the officers – at times rocking together in a coordinated fashion – in an effort to breach the line of officers and gain entry to the interior of the Capitol building," the FBI indictment reads. "During this time, several rioters took shields from the officers, which the rioters, including Fischer passed back out of the Tunnel."
Later, "At several points while Fischer pushed against the line of officers, he turned back to the rioters behind him and yelled apparent encouragement. ...Fischer also at one point gestured – encouraging the other rioters to continue to push forward."
The Huffington Post reported people, who've spent months of their own time trying to identify the FBI's most wanted in connection to the Capitol attack, linked a government photo of him to a facial recognition hit on a Tampa-area news story that featured pictures from New Year 2019. They linked him to the FBI's most wanted photo No. 222.
Another photo purported to be of Fischer in his underwear during his time as a model. Internet investigators dubbed Fischer the "RayBanTerrorist."
Zachary Johnson, a 33-year-old St. Petersburg man, was accused of carrying a sledgehammer to the Capitol on the day of the attack. Dion Rajewski, a 61-year-old man from Largo, is accused of carrying pepper spray, with Johnson alleged to have used it against officers. Both are facing charges of civil disorder and other offenses, the Department of Justice said.
Fischer and Rajewski also face charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a dangerous weapon.
Authorities say more than 725 people have been arrested for crimes related to the breach of the Capitol, and at least 79 are from the state of Florida — more than any state, according to Axios.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.