A St. Cloud man and his brother are facing multiple felony charges for breaching a door at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and allowing rioters to overpower police as they stormed the building.
William Bierbrodt, 55, is accused of felony obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, as well as multiple misdemeanor charges in connection with his involvement in the riots that took place at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Bierbrodt was arrested in St. Cloud, while his brother, Joseph Bierbrodt, was arrested in Sheridan, Illinois on Wednesday, July 26.
According to court documents, on January 6, 2021, at approximately 2:41 p.m., CCTV footage and other open-source videos depict a man, later identified as Bierbrodt, using a cane to break a window on the Senate Wing fire door. Video shows Bierbrodt unlatching the locked door and letting in other rioters.
After breaching the door, one of the brothers assaulted a U.S. Capitol Police officer by slamming the officer against a wall. The brothers and other rioters then moved further into the Senate Wing and were met again by a line of police officers.
Just a few minutes later, footage shows Joseph Bierbrodt exiting the building before returning at 3:02 p.m. to assist his brother with his exit from the Senate Wing.
In the two and a half years since the riots, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested across the country for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol. More than 350 individuals have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
Earlier this week, an Ocala husband and wife pled guilty to multiple charges related to their involvement in the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.