A woman from Massachusetts has been apprehended after confessing to police her intentions to harm members of former President Donald Trump’s cabinet at the U.S. Capitol. According to court documents, Ryan Michael English, also known as Riley English, stated that she was influenced by Luigi Mangione, who faces charges for the murder of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. English was taken into custody on Monday and remains locked up following her preliminary court hearing on Thursday, where she did not contest her pretrial detention.
At 24 years old and living in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, English reportedly described her feelings to law enforcement, claiming she felt “on a mission” and had contemplated her actions for some time, attributing her motivation to Mangione. Notably, Mangione entered a not guilty plea in December concerning murder and terrorism charges in a Manhattan court.
In a court filing, prosecutors highlighted English’s reflections, where she expressed regret about the violent path taken by Mangione, remarking, “I pushed that away because I was thinking like that is so stupid, that accomplishes nothing, that poor kid just threw his life away for like a minute of vengeance.”
English faces multiple weapons charges after approaching officers at the Capitol, where she revealed her plan to assassinate billionaire investor Scott Bessent. This occurred on the same day the Senate confirmed Bessent as Trump’s treasury secretary. Upon searching her, police reportedly discovered a folding knife, two homemade incendiary devices, and a lighter.
The investigation further revealed that English had a broader target list, including other Republican leaders like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as plans to firebomb the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. After encountering online information about Bessent’s confirmation hearing, she shifted her focus solely to him, as noted by officials.
English allegedly told police officers that she was facing a terminal illness and wished to undertake significant actions before her passing. Prosecutors argued that her actions were not impulsive but rather a deliberate and planned effort to inflict violence.
Her attorney, Maria Jacob, contended that English sought help, asserting that her actions were not aimed at causing harm. Jacob highlighted that English was non-confrontational when she approached police and did not display her items as weapons, willingly assisting officers in recovering them.
