good afternoon. I'm Stephen Dantonio, assistant director in charge of the Washington field office of the FBI, And I'm here to provide a quick update on the FBI's activities since the of violence and destruction at the capital last week. The FBI is quite familiar with large scale, complex and fast moving investigations. We are We are up to the challenge. As director Ray says, the FBI does not too easy to be clear. The brutality the American people watched with shock and disbelief on the sixth would not be tolerated by the FBI. The men and women of the FBI will leave no stone unturned in this investigation. Since these events, the FBI has worked hand in hand with the United States Attorney's office and our law enforcement partners here in D. C and across the country to arrest in charge multiple individuals who took part in the destruction. In six days, we have opened over 160 case files, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. The significance of this investigation is not lost on us. This is a 24 7 full bore invest extensive operation into what happened that day. We cannot do our job without the help of the American people. Since our call for tips, videos and pictures, we have received more than 100,000 pieces of digital media, which is absolutely fantastic, and we're scouring everyone for investigative and intelligence leads. We continue to ask for more. If you have information, contact 1 800. Call FBI or submit photos and videos to FBI dot gov slash U. S Capitol as capital with a no. I want to stress that the FBI has a long memory in a broad reach. Agents and our partners are on the streets investigating leads not only here in the D C area but also across the country through the FBI's 56 field offices. So even like I've said before. So even if you've left D C agents from our local field offices, we knocking on your door if we find out that you were part of the criminal activity at the Capitol. But before we do this, this is your opportunity to come forward. As several individuals who were involved in Wednesday's riots have done to volunteer about their participation In the weeks leading up to the January 6 rally, the FBI worked internally with every FBI field office to ensure they were looking for that. We were looking for any intelligence that may have developed about potential violence. During the rally on January 6, we developed some intelligence that a number of individuals were planning to travel to the D C area with intentions to cause violence. We immediately shared that information and action was taken, as demonstrated by the arrest of Mary Kay Tory oh, by the Metropolitan Police Department. The night before the rally. Other individuals were identified in other parts of the country, and the travel subsequently disrupted. The FBI receives enormous amounts of information and intelligence, and our job is to determine the credibility and viability of it. Under the laws and policies that govern FBI investigations, we have to separate the aspirational from the intentional and determine which of the individuals saying despicable things on the Internet are just practicing keyboard bravado or they actually have the intent to do harm in the ladder. We worked diligently, toe, identify them and prevent them from doing so. As offensive as a statement can be, the FBI cannot open an investigation without a threat of violence or alleged criminal activity. However, when that language does turn to a call of violence or criminal activity theme, FBI is able to undertake investigative, active action, and in this case, we had no indication information was linked to any specific person. But this is a matter of an online discussion. This information was immediately disseminated through written product and brief through our command post operations to all levels of law enforcement. Part and parcel of our investigation into violent actors is the fact that we continue to gather intelligence that will aid in our ability to disrupt possible future violent activity. Suffice is to say where leveraging our relationships with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, using our tools at our disposal to find and bring everyone involved in last week's criminal activity to justice. I mean, I got a turnover toe acting U. S attorney Michael shirt. All right. Thank you, Steve. I think I mentioned this before a few days ago that just to begin, I think the scope and scale of this investigation in these cases air really unprecedented not only in FBI history, but probably DOJ history, in which essentially the capital grounds outside and inside are essentially a crime scene and, uh, scale in which we have literally thousands of potential witnesses and a scenario in which we're going to have, I believe, hundreds of criminal cases both filed with our local courts of Superior Court and through the federal court system. So just to frame things, the enormity of this investigation is gonna take a lot of work in a lot of effort, and this is not gonna be solved overnight. It's not gonna be solved within the coming weeks. It's not gonna be solved within the coming months. This is gonna be a long term investigation and rest assured, the bureau, the Department of Justice, all the U. S. Attorney's across the United States that are assisting these investigations. Everyone is in for the long haul. So that being said, let's turn to the numbers that Steve referenced and the numbers are going to geometrically increase. So as we sit here now, literally days after this event happened, we have already opened 170 more than 170 subject files, meaning these individuals have been identified as potential persons that committed crimes on the Capitol grounds inside and outside, so of those 170 cases that have already been opened, and I anticipate that's going to grow to the hundreds in the next coming weeks. We've already charged over 70 cases, and again that number, I suspect, is gonna grow into the hundreds. So what are the types of cases we initially charged? And I think there's some misconceptions, and I want to clarify some of those misconceptions because given the enormity of the actors we saw both inside and outside the capital, the range of criminal conduct is really, I think, again unmatched in any type of scenario that we've seen the FBI or the DOJ. We're looking at everything from simple trespass to theft of mail to theft of digital devices with inside the Capitol to assault on local officers, federal officers both outside and inside the capital to the theft of potential national security information or national defense information to felony murder and even civil rights. Excessive force investigation. So just the gamut of cases and criminal conduct we're looking at is really mind blowing, and that has really put a nen enormous amount of work on the plate of the FBI and field office throughout the entire United States. So let's look at those initial cases. And again, I want to clarify some misconceptions. When criminal conduct occurs, we try to obviously charge people a soon as possible, So the way looking just at the federal system will try to do that via criminal complaints. So when these actors left the capital, these individuals, these defendants, obviously the impetus the marching orders by federal law enforcement was to find, fix and charge these individuals as fast as possible. So the prosecutors from the D. C. U S attorney's office we look for the most simple charge we could file is quick as possible. So therefore, the initial charges filed in these cases a lot of them were misdemeanors. There were trespassed cases. However, those those those cases were opened on those initial charges. We also had several firearms charges. We also had several felony charges that were open with assault and battery, uh, illegal Felonious possession of weapons. However, I want to clarify misconception. This is only the beginning. So after these criminal charges are filed via criminal complaints that allows us that allows law enforcement across the United States to arrest people from Dallas toe Arkansas to Nashville to Cleveland to Jacksonville. That's what's happened over the past several days. It's really quite incredible. Uh, now, after those charges were filed, then we have the ability to then indict these individuals on MAWR. Significant charges. And that's exactly what has happened. For example, yesterday again Onley days after this event happened, we had the grand jury in in the District of Columbia up. It was booked throughout the entire day, and for several hour upon hour, prosecutors in our office presented felony cases. Significant felony cases related to civil disorder related thio, the possession of destructive devices related to the possession of semiotic medic weapons that are illegal to possess in the district. So again, I just want to clarify that the initial charges were filing some of these misdemeanors. These air Onley. These are only the beginning. This is not the end. So what are we looking at downstream here? So in terms of what we're looking at is the initial charges. Everyone's familiar with the Zip tie guys, the month holes and the Brocks that were arrested on the on the house floor with zip ties rifling through the house floor. People are familiar with online. They see the bar nets and Johnson's who were literally rifling through Pelosi's office and stealing items, stealing materials, male and sometimes even personal momentos. So those of the cases the public's familiar with their familiar with those cases because of social media. But what the public isn't familiar with is that the FBI working with the U. S attorney's offices across the countries and the crux of those being in D. C. We're looking at significant felony cases tied to sedition and conspiracy. Just yesterday, our office organized a strike force of very senior national security prosecutors and public corruption prosecutors there. Onley Marching orders from me are to build seditious and conspiracy charges related to the most heinous acts that occurred in the capital and these air significant charges that have felonies with prison terms of up to 20 years. In addition to that, we're looking and taking a priority with cases in which weapons were involved and cases in which destructive devices were involved, as people know through news reports, there were pipe bombs found outside the capital. The A T F. Is working on that. Metro Police is working on that FBI's working on that to find that individual or individuals who planted those devices. So in addition, Thio just those road cases we're looking at, we're gonna focus on the most significant charges as a deterrent because regardless of if it was just a trespassing the capital or someone planted a pipe bomb, you will be charged and you will be found. In addition to that, we've also focused on in emphasis on assaults and batteries on police officers, both both both federal officers and local MPD officers that were assaulted. And and as the days go on, there's gonna be more social media, and people will recognize that in some instances, MPD and Capitol Police weren't open handed combat with some of these persons inside the Capitol, where tear gas was used on the Capitol police and federal officers and they were also used against some of these riders. So the picture is gonna build. I think there's a lot of misconceptions about what happened within the capital, and it's gonna come in tow, laser focused, I think, over the next weeks and days, and I think people are gonna be shocked with some of the egregious contact that happened within the capital. The third area emphasis that our office is also focusing on is we set up a strike force to focus on assault on the media. Some people aren't familiar that some of those riders specifically targeted members of the media and assaulted them. So we have assigned specific prosecutors in our office toe. Focus on those cases is well, and I'm naming all these different strike forces to just emphasize, regardless of who the victim was, regardless of who the perpetrator was. We're treating all of these cases equally, Thank you very much. Take question. We will. Now begin the question and answer session. Ask a question. You may press stars, then one on your touchdown phone. If you're using a speakerphone, please pick up your handset before pressing the keys to a draw. Your question, please. Press star than to The first question is from Pete Williams from NBC 온라인 바카라 게임. Please go ahead. So can you clarify for us? What intelligence did the FBI gather before the assault on the capital about the potential for violence, and how did it share it and did it share it to the Capitol police we received ah, lot of intelligence like I said in my statement, a lot of intelligence information throughout all different means being through social media or through C H s s sauces. Um and then we have a sharing mechanism with JTTF across the country. We have joint terrorism task forces, and in this city, in D. C, we have a very robust JTTF, and in that we have capital Police, Park Police, MPD and all the other federal law enforcement partners. We shared intelligence through the JTTF model, and we also shared it through our command post structure and then also through other means of they have access to our information readily available because they have access to our systems. So all that information was shared with our partners, and then we went from there. The next question is from Evan Perez from CNN. Please go ahead putting If you could, uh, tell us, Perhaps if you found any indication so far to indicate that you know, there was a level of planning and coordination for for these people to go into the capital on carry out this attack rather than just a spontaneous Matt mob that got out of control. And then Secondly, if you could one At least Senator Schumer has talked about the possibility that some people might be put on the no fly list off the 170 case subject files that you've already opened. Can you tell us whether you've added any of those people toe like a no fly list as a result of what happened? So we're looking at all all different avenues here. So my agents and analysts and all the other FBI personnel in my office and across the country ah, scrubbing video, we're talking Thio. Witnesses were talking to individuals that we arrest, and we're gathering that picture, that intelligence, if you will, um, to understand what happened on the sixth that day in the capital outside the capital. We talked to all law enforcement partners, and it's not just the FBI doing this is all of our law enforcement partners as well. They're working in conjunction with acting U S attorneys Mike Sherman's office in our local office here to a swell. So we're sharing that intelligence amongst each other. We're putting into the intelligence, uh, cycle that the FBI has to try Thio, ascertain the true picture of what happened that day As for the no fly list way, look at all tools and techniques that we possibly can use within the FBI and as something that we are actively looking at. The next question is from Catherine Herridge from CBS 온라인 바카라 게임. Please go ahead. Thank you for holding this event. Um, the two pipe bombs that were found at the RNC and the DNC. Um, does this cross the stressful to domestic terrorism because their political targets And do you think this was designed to other pull first responders away from the scene as the capital was breached or an effort to maim lawmakers as they evacuated? So I'll try to address that question where the best I can. So, yes, those two pipe bombs that were found were found both outside the RNC and the DNC offices near the Capitol grounds. And, uh, look to begin. They were really devices. They were. They had explosive igniters. They had timers. We don't know obviously exactly why they did not go off. That's being investigated. They were destroyed, disabled by Capitol police, with the assistance of the F, and that is all obviously being vetted and investigated. What was the purpose of those devices being planted wasn't a diversion ery type of a tactic used by some of these riders. Was it something or did have some other type of nefarious purpose? So that is what the A t f the FBI MPD are looking at as we speak right now and looking for those persons that planted those devices, Uh, in terms of the conduct related to planning those, you know, pipe bombs, the, you know, the mention of domestic terrorism. I've mentioned this before. I don't like this tyranny of label saying an act of domestic terrorism we have plenty of federal resource is at our disposal Plenty of federal charges to address all of this conduct from felony murder related to the possession and use of destructive devices, uh, to seditious conspiracy. You know, under the federal code that has significant penalties and, as mentioned with this strike force that was established to focus strictly on sedition charges were looking at in treating this just like a significant international counterterrorism or counterintelligence operation. We're looking at everything money, travel records, uh, looking at disposition movement, communication records. So no resource related to the FBI or the U. S. Attorney's office will will be unchecked in terms of trying to determine exactly if there was a command and control how it operated and how they executed these, uh, these activities. The next question it is from piano Thomas from ABC 온라인 바카라 게임. Please go ahead. Yes, thank you. Um, are you looking at the possibility that some of these suspects were attempting or planning to take members of Congress hostage? Um, so I wanna talk about Mike's the prior question first. Just because I wanna emphasize, um, that we have a $50,000 reward out for the information. Any information on identification of the individual or individuals that left the pipe bombs? So I just wanna make that perfectly clear. Now, we're looking at all angles in that every tool, every rock is being unturned because we have toe bring that person to justice or people to justice. Um, so the the can you repeat the question, please? Are you looking at the possibility that some of these suspects who reached the capital who had ties with other things we're looking at the possibility of taking members of Congress or others hostage? So, like, I answer the last couple questions before. We're looking at all angles here. We're looking. We're interviewing everyone, interviewing witnesses and interviewing subjects as they get arrested around the country and within the district as well. Uh, to ascertain the true purpose off some of these individuals in the capital that day. The next question is from Jake Gibson from Fox 온라인 바카라 게임. Please go ahead. Um, thank you. First of all, I have to actually number one. Uh, Senator Cassidy has tweeted out a photo that he said was a nen vivid jewel that authorities wanted to, uh, to get in contact with in connection, possibly with the killing of Capitol police officers. Sick Nick number one. Can you give us any type of update on that situation number two? I know you talked about intelligence leading up to the day before or leading up to the day of the riots, but there are some specific reports out that there was, you know, it least one report out of FBI in Norfolk that painted a pretty grim picture. Um, can you confirm that? And we're were authorities on the hill, you know, really ready for what was coming at them. So the the investigation to Officer sick Knicks. Uh, passing is an ongoing investigation. We're looking at everything that we possibly can. It is. It cuts us a core that one of our law enforcement brethren passed away. Eso were. It's not going. Investigation is lot of tools and and interviews that we're still conducting is a whole host of video that's out there. We're reviewing all that information. Um, as for the information that that's being presented out there right now about North Fork, Um, that was a thread on a message board. Um that was not attributable was being attributable to an individual person. We like, I said in my statement, We deal with specifics and facts. Um, that information. When my office in Washington field office received that information, we briefed that within 40 minutes tow our law enforcement partners of federal state law enforcement partners that we have a command post it got ingested into the JTTF system on was again shared with all our law enforcement partners Through that process that we have on bats. That's the action that we took on that, Um, and that's a listen