WASHINGTON, D.C. – Police said they arrested a Toms River man for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
Salvatore Vassallo, 59, was arrested in Toms River on September 14 and charged with “assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon and interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder,” police said. While these two are felonies, he is also charged with five misdemeanors.
He made an appearance in court and was released pending future proceedings.
The police allege that he illegally entered the Capitol grounds on the day that electoral votes were being counted to ratify the presidential election with the intent on disrupting the process.
He allegedly hopped over a rail and joined a mob that was confronting law enforcement officers on the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol, near the Senate Wing Door and the Senate Fire Door. He was seen emerging from the crowd and facing the officers. Then, he charged a member of the Metropolitan Police Department who was helping other officers. “Vassallo grabbed and pushed the officer with what appeared to be a significant amount of force. Moments later, he departed from that area.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which identified Vassallo as #338 on its list of photos of perpetrators they were looking for information about.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are trying the case, and credited help from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
More than 870 people from nearly all 50 states have been arrested for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 265 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The FBI said anyone with tips about this can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Charges are merely accusations until proven in a court of law.
