La Grange Man Charged In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange man and his brother were arrested Tuesday in connection with their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, federal prosecutors announced.

Joseph Leyden, 56, of La Grange, and his brother Daniel Leyden, 55, of Chicago, were taken into custody. Joseph Leyden is charged with felony assaulting, resisting or impeding police officers. Daniel Leyden faces the same charge, but committing the act with a dangerous weapon, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

They are also charged with felony interference of an officer, along with four related misdemeanor offenses. Joseph Leyden was arrested in La Grange and Daniel Leyden in Chicago.

Joseph Leyden, 56, of La Grange, is seen advancing toward a Metropolitan police officer Jan. 6, 2021, on the Capitol grounds, federal prosecutors said. This is an officer's body camera footage. (U.S. Attorney's Office)

The men were among the rioters who were illegally on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021, according to federal court documents. About 1 p.m., Joseph Leyden was at the Capitol's West Plaza, where about 1 p.m., rioters began to pull metal barriers into the crowd, authorities said. That compromised the ability of officers to re-establish a perimeter, records said.

Joseph Leyden rushed toward an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, lunged at him and pushed him, authorities said.

Shortly before 1 p.m., Daniel Leyden was in a crowd that confronted officers at the metal barricades near Peace Circle, according to court documents. He and other rioters repeatedly lifted and pushed a metal barricade, causing a Capitol police officer to fall backward, pinning the officer under a barricade, authorities said.

At the same time, several other officers were assaulted by the rioters with the barricade, including one who was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion, according to court records.

Daniel Leyden's actions contributed to injuries that officers suffered and prevented them from defending themselves and providing aid to one another, police said. Daniel Leyden and other rioters swarmed past police, the records said.