PHOENIX — At the center of the unrest at the Capitol, 12 News has identified an Arizona man in the mix.
The man, with face paint and horns, is a regular at protests and rallies in the Valley. He's posted as a person of interest by Metropolitan Police in Washington, D.C. following Wednesday's breach.
The man, known as Jake Angeli or Jacob Chansley, is from Phoenix. 12 News spoke with him over the phone Thursday morning when he stated he was the horned protester at the Capitol.
He said he didn't have time to answer questions, but noted he was waiting for a ride to travel back to Phoenix. He also said he wasn't worried that he was listed as a person of interest by D.C. police.
The 12 News video story below:
12 News has documented Angeli at numerous rallies, marches and events throughout the past year, ranging from Trump rallies to BLM marches. At these events, he claims to be part of QAnon and is usually shouting about conspiracy theories, with a sign that says "Q Sent Me."
The Glendale Union High School District confirms a Jacob Chansley is a graduate of Moon Valley High School. A yearbook shows he was in the Class of 2006.
12 News tried to reach Angeli's family in Phoenix. One relative told 12 News over the phone that she was not surprised or worried that Angeli appears to be part of the Capitol unrest.
It’s not clear if he traveled alone to Washington, D.C., but GoFundMe confirms he started a fundraiser to help get him out there in December for the MAGA Million March. A spokesperson says the fundraiser raised $10 and they shut it down Wednesday, saying it violated their terms of service after seeing him at the Capitol.
At this time Angeli is not under arrest. 12 News has found no record of a criminal history here in Arizona.
See complete coverage of the riot at the Capitol on the 12 News YouTube channel: