Dallas actor accused of cranking Capitol police during the uprising

A Dallas actor who allegedly used a crutch to assault police officers during the uprising and siege of the U.S. Capitol in January has been arrested and charged in federal court.

According to an FBI statement, Luke Russell Coffee (41) was captured on video and on photos loaded on officers with a single crutch during a January 6 riot.

A Baylor graduate, Coffee said in an online biography that he moved to the University of Hollywood to pursue a film career. He said he worked on two excellent television shows for Warner Brothers and NBC / Universal. According to Coffee, he returned to Dallas, his hometown, in 2010 to start a production company.

Coffee, who attended Highland Park High School, is at least the 13th North Texan facing charges in connection with the riot.

He was charged with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon, interfering with a law enforcement officer during civil disorder, obstructing an official process, unlawful entry on restricted grounds and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Coffee’s attorney could not be reached for comment Friday.

Authorities helped identify coffee as a classmate of the university. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to detain coffee pending trial. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 8.

The FBI received several tips about coffee, and one witness saw a video on social media in which Coffee discussed a conspiracy theory, reads a statement.

A Dallas FBI agent, who called a tip called Coffee on Jan. 13, noted that he was at the Capitol on the day of the riot and had a crutch, but he denied being in any physical confrontation with police was involved, according to the affidavit.

He said he drove a truck from Dallas to Washington on January 4 and arrived there the next day, according to the FBI.

The FBI agent who went to school with Coffee saw his former classmate’s social media messages he showed in the Capitol on January 6 before the posts “were not available for public viewing”, the statement said.

The man who, according to authorities, said Coffee was seen wearing a cowboy hat, a camouflage jacket, a bandana and a gray backpack. Shortly after 4 p.m., he was on the steps of the Capitol entrance hall, the FBI said.

He turned to the crowd and “apparently made several statements, none of which were audible,” according to the FBI.

He then joins violent rioters fighting with Capitol police and Washington, DC, police officers who defended the building in the lower tunnel area, the FBI said. While the rioters were trying to prevent the rioters from entering the building, the officers were thrown with various object and many were injured, authorities said.

Coffee is seen on images of body victims of officers contacting police around 4:30 p.m., pushing the crutch into a row of officers, the statement said.

“After he was forced back from the officers, Coffee charged the officers while he was still holding the crutch,” the affidavit said. “It turns out … that coffee wanted to use the crutch further as a blunt object weapon.”

Officers had to hold him back, the FBI said.

Coffee said on its website that it produces and directs music videos, web-based content and commercials. His website also said he played with NBCs Friday night lights and starred in a Ridley Scott film The hunt.