A man from Massachusetts was apprehended on firearms charges following his visit to the U.S. Capitol on Monday, during which he expressed intentions to harm leading Republican figures, particularly billionaire Scott Bessent. This incident occurred on the same day Bessent was confirmed as the Treasury Secretary by the Senate, as stated in a court document released on Tuesday.
Ryan Michael English, 24, hailing from South Deerfield, Massachusetts, approached law enforcement at the Capitol and voluntarily disclosed that he was armed with knives and Molotov cocktails, offering to turn himself in. According to an affidavit from a Capitol police officer, authorities discovered a folding knife, two homemade incendiary devices, and a lighter in his possession.
Furthermore, English explicitly declared to the police that his purpose for being at the Capitol was to kill Bessent, as outlined in the affidavit. The Senate had confirmed Bessent with a vote tally of 68 to 29, with 16 Democrats joining Republicans in support of his nomination.
A subsequent search of English’s vehicle revealed components used for creating a homemade explosive device, according to police reports. In his discussions with investigators, English admitted that his trip from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., was motivated by a desire to kill other Republican officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, alongside plans to incinerate the Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative organization.
According to police, English’s plotted actions were aimed at ‘deposing’ these political positions and conveying a specific message. After coming across an internet post regarding Bessent’s confirmation hearing, he decided to pivot his focus onto him as a target.
English was charged with illegal acquisition, possession, or transfer of a firearm, as well as carrying weapons and explosives on federal grounds. As of now, there is no indication of legal representation for English, and messages left with a potential family member have gone unanswered.
