Share this @internewscast.com

Federal authorities have arrested Matthew Beddingfield for his role in the Capitol insurrection, which he attended with his father while out on bail for a first-degree attempted murder charge.

Beddingfield, who was arrested on Tuesday, was caught on camera brawling with police and entering the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6. He could also be seen jabbing at cops with a flagpole, and later was spotted inside the building. In addition to several misdemeanors, he faces felony charges of assaulting officers, impeding officers during a civil disorder, and carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon on restricted Capitol grounds, as first reported by NBC News.

HuffPost revealed Beddingfield’s identity more than 10 months ago, on March 26, in a story that built off the work of a network of citizen-sleuths. They used facial recognition software to match footage of Beddingfield at the Capitol to his publicly available mug shot from a 2019 arrest for attempted murder.

In December 2019, Beddingfield ― then 19 ― allegedly shot another teenager in the head in the parking lot of a North Carolina Walmart before fleeing the scene in a Dodge Charger. He was held in jail on a $1 million bond, then was released a few weeks later when it was lowered to $100,000. He has since pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

Beddingfield’s case highlights the growing role of facial recognition in criminal investigations. Facial recognition tools can misidentify Black and Asian people at alarming rates, and their widespread use would have serious implications for privacy and civil liberties. The Jan. 6 attack, however, was carried out by an overwhelmingly white crowd. In the Capitol attack investigation, facial recognition has given investigators ― both in law enforcement and in the general public ― promising leads that can then be confirmed through other methods. In Beddingfield’s case, it was his father’s public Facebook posts that helped online sleuths confirm his identity.

Beddingfield traveled to the Capitol with his father, Jason. In long conversations with HuffPost for the story, the elder Beddingfield acknowledged that he himself had traveled to the Capitol on Jan. 6 in support of then-President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the election, but was adamant that his son wasn’t there.

“He was not there. He was not with me. He did not do the things that have been speculated about,” he said at the time. “I mean, there’s a lot of doppelgangers in the world, isn’t it? All technology is not foolproof, is it?”

Jason Beddingfield suggested that HuffPost instead focus its reporting on the conspiracy theories he had read online that led him, like millions of Trump supporters, to believe that there was some grand multistate, bipartisan criminal conspiracy to steal the election for President Joe Biden.

“That’s an historical story,” he said. “The stuff that you’re chasing after is like dust floating through a hurricane. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Source: huffpost

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Suspected Wife Killer’s Escape Attempt Ends in Frustration

Inset left: Brandon Ashley (Grimes County Sheriff”s Office). Inset right: Chelsea Spillers…

DOJ’s Decision Pending: Evaluating the Approval of Trump’s Potential $230 Million Settlement

Then-candidate Donald Trump speaks with members of the media as attorney Todd…

Shocking Night Attack: Man Arrested for Stabbing Ex’s Stepfather in Sleep with Kitchen Knife

Inset left: Tomas Aguilar (Webb County Sheriff”s Office). Inset right: Oscar Bedarte…

Mother Finds Closure 27 Years Later: Confession Brings Justice for Slain Teen

The mother of a teenage boy who tragically lost his life during…

Maternal Grandmother of Missing California Girl, Melodee Buzzard, Shares Her Perspective as Search Efforts Intensify

In a heartfelt plea, Lori Miranda, the grandmother of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard,…

Police Report: Man Arrested for Posing Children with Gun, Alcohol, and Marijuana in Photos

Cops in Florida arrested Taylor Knoop after he allegedly staged photos of…

Tragic Discovery: Body of Missing Miss USA Hopeful Kada Scott Found, Investigation Probes Potential Accomplice

The remains of Kada Scott have been discovered in a wooded area…

Disgraced MP Stripped of Seat and Freedom After Embezzling $435k in Public Funds

A former member of parliament, now disgraced, has been sentenced to a…

UPDATE: Teen Cheerleader Removed from Life Support Following Tragic Bonfire Shooting Incident

An Alabama man is scheduled to appear in court this week following…

NSW Police Seek Public’s Help in Solving Enigma of Body Discovered in Burnt-Out Car

Police in New South Wales’ north-west have released a second appeal for…

High Heels Tragedy: Lawyer Claims Louboutin Shoes Caused Deadly Porsche Crash

Kristina Chambers is accused of a drunken crash that killed Joseph McMullin…

Parking Dispute Turns Violent: Man Allegedly Shoots Child Over Controversial Spot

Background: The 6500 block of Woodfield Drive in Charlotte, North Carolina, where…