Update: Capitol riot suspect arrested in raid near Falkville High

Michael Wetzel, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·2 min read
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Aug. 24—The FBI raided a home across the street from Falkville High School this morning and arrested a 48-year-old man in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol, according to authorities.

Bobby Wayne Russell was taken into custody and charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers and interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, both felony charges, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice. He is also facing four misdemeanor charges.

The Morgan County Sheriff's Office said it had a deputy on the scene at the time and the FBI operation did not affect the school day.

Court records show Russell has been arrested on burglary, theft and drug charges dating back to 2010.

Russell is the second Morgan County man charged in the rioting incident. Last year, the FBI seized items from Lonnie Coffman's residence in the Lacon community. Coffman, 72, was arrested Jan. 7, 2021, and in November pleaded guilty to possessing unregistered firearms including Molotov cocktails and carrying a pistol without a license. He was sentenced to 46 months in prison.

Al.com reported via Tribune News Service that Russell is one of more than a dozen Alabama residents charged in connection with Capitol breach during a joint session of Congress, which had convened to count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

Federal documents made public Wednesday claim Russell was among rioters confronting officers at a line of bicycle barricades on the southwest side of the Capitol grounds, according to al.com. Russell, wearing a hooded "Alabama Crimson Tide" sweatshirt, resisted police orders to move away, the documents said.

Al.com reported that 26-year-old Kaleb Dillard of Shelby County was arrested Tuesday in Columbiana for his role in the Capitol breach. Dillard is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers and interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder.

— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.