KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee man is facing several charges after authorities said he joined in the Jan. 6 Insurrection in Washington D.C. Documents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation said he illegally entered the U.S. Capitol building and joined in a fight against police officers after being pushed out. The documents also said Shannon Bitzer threw a metal crowd control device at police officers.
Bitzer was charged with using a weapon to forcibly oppose, resist, impede, intimidate or interfere with officers. He was also charged with illegally entering a restricted building, yelling threatening language in the Capitol Building, and engaging in an act of physical violence during the Jan. 6 Insurrection.
FBI documents said the bureau received a tip from a person who knew Bitzer, saying that he had participated in the Jan. 6 Insurrection. The FBI also said it received an anonymous letter identifying him. The letter included a picture of him at the Jan. 6 Insurrection. That picture was compared to Bitzer's photograph for his Tennessee license, the FBI said.
The FBI then found Bitzer's phone connected to a cell site that provides service to the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021. The documents also said he was seen multiple times on security footage, open-source video, and police bodycam footage wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat with a black bandana, a green shirt, blue pants, tan shoes and a black coat.
The documents also said his bank statements had several charges between Jan. 6, 2021, and Jan. 8, 2021, from the Washington D.C. area.
The FBI said at around 3:10 p.m., Bitzer approached a railing that barricaded the front of the U.S. Capitol building's north doors while other people discussed entering the building with two police officers. It said the police officers would not let them inside.
"Bitzer then moved the barrier out of the way and approached the USCP officers at the North Door. Bitzer yelled, 'We want to go in the Capitol! We want to go in!' As other rioters chanted, 'Let us in, let us in,' Bitzer approached the North Door, which another rioter had just opened," the FBI documents said.
It said he held the north door open, blocking an officer with his arm and waving others inside. It said he yelled, "Get in patriots, get in!" Around a minute later, the documents said he entered the building while holding a cell phone.
The FBI documents said officers also identified Bitzer as having encouraged people to illegally enter the U.S. Capitol building.
After another minute, the documents said he left the building when police officers pushed the crowd out of the Capitol building. After being pushed out, the documents said people in the crowd began fighting police officers.
The FBI said bodycam footage showed a metal stanchion and railing nearby. Other footage showed Bitzer near the railing and stanchion. Bitzer then joined in the fight against police officers, the documents said.
It said Bitzer pushed the railing towards the north door as police officers tried to get inside and close the doors. The FBI said Bitzer also threw the stanchion towards the north doors and the officers in the doorway.
According to court records, he was indicted in July 2024 a notice of hearing was set for Bitzer's arrangement on Aug. 7.
