S.C. man arrested on felony, misdemeanor charges for alleged role during Capitol riots

(Courtesy: John Minchillo/AP, FILE) Violent insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021.

(Courtesy: John Minchillo/AP, FILE) Violent insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021.

 Columbia, SC (WOLO) — A Bluffton, South Carolina man faces nine charges after he was listed in a criminal complaint filed in Washington, D.C. surrounding the January 6th riots at the United States Capitol. According to the South Carolina Department of Justice, 25 year old Tyler Bradley Dykes is accused of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain people employed at the Capitol during the breach of the U.S. Capitol.

In the criminal complaint, Dykes appeared in Charlottesville, Virginia court Monday to answer for video footage of him during the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

Tyler Bradley Dykes, 25, of Bluffton, South Carolina, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with nine offenses, including the felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees. Court documents allege that Dykes attended the “stop the steal” rally before marching alongside others to the U.S. Capitol where he is accused of joining the mob of people protesting the count of electoral votes surrounding President Biden’s election. 

According to authorities, Dykes can be seen in a recorded video tearing down barriers along with other boycotters while on restricted property before storming the U.S. Capitol while the mob “attacked and overwhelmed” law enforcement officers as they attempted to protect the process and members of Congress during a joint session. Court documents go on to say Dykes later fought to hold open the Columbus door on the East side of the Capitol while police tried to secure the area.

The same court document states that when authorities attempted to get Dykes under control by spraying pepper spray in his direction, video shows him steal a riot shield from a law enforcement officer before raising it over his head to keep the officer from being able to reach it. According to a more detailed account of the incident, documents state that Dykes can be seen walking through several areas of the Capitol building with that same piece of gear. Dykes is charged with seven other misdemeanors surrounding his alleged actions on January 6th. 

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington and Columbia, South Carolina field offices.  Authorities say to date, 1069 people from all 50 states have been arrested for their alleged part in the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.