Freelance Photographer Arrested for Alleged Role in 2021 Capitol Riot
A freelance photographer was arrested for allegedly being part of the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 riots.
On Thursday, professional photographer Patrick Gorski was arrested by the FBI in Chicago on charges including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder.
Authorities allege that during the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, Gorski climbed scaffolding, breached police lines, and took photos and videos inside the building. He yelled at officers, pushed against an officer’s riot shield, and was eventually forced out after being sprayed with a chemical irritant.
According to court documents that were unsealed on Friday, Gorski — whose images are available through Getty Images and have been also been “picked up” by The Associated Press — also sent several pictures of the riot to his friends in a group chat.
In the unsealed documents, the FBI says that it received three tips back in 2021 that the 27-year-old photographer had taken part in the riot and identified him in images taken by U.S. Capitol security cameras and open-source videos that day.
“Two tips were sent on February 4, 2021, and each tip reported that Gorski was present taking photos at the riot,” the documents say.
However, it appears that the authorities had to ascertain whether Gorski was part of the mob that entered the Capitol or if he was there in a photographic capacity.
The FBI says that when discussing the riots with a friend on Facebook Messenger on January 7, 2021, Gorski wrote that there was “zero media covering it when it was actually happening, I was the closest thing to a photographer there.”
According to the unsealed documents, Gorski also confronted one of the tipsters on Facebook messenger. He referred to himself as “a photojournalist for 10 years” and sent a link to his official photography website in messages.
When the FBI eventually interviewed Gorski on May 17, 2022, he told federal agents that he had worked as a photographer for the Chicago Fire Department and for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. Gorski claimed that he took at least 200 pictures with his personal cell phone while in Washington, D.C. from January 5 to January 7, 2021.
However, when questioned by the FBI, Gorski did not claim that he was working as a photojournalist during the January 6 riot and said that he didn’t bring his professional camera to the Capitol. The authorities also found that Gorski had not professionally published any photographs from the incident.
In a press release issued on Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office claimed that Gorski did enter the Capitol building.
“It is alleged that Gorski later entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door around 3.14 P.M., interacting with officers inside,” the release says.
“He then briefly exited the building but stayed on Capitol grounds. Around 3.36 P.M., Gorski attempted to re-enter the building through the East Rotunda Doors, where police had regained control.”
“There, Gorski argued with another rioter who was attempting to clear a path for police officers and later blocked police efforts to close the door.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gorski was then sprayed with the chemical solution and remained on the grounds till around 6 P.M.
According to AP News, a federal judge ordered that Gorski be released on bond after his initial court appearance on Thursday. An attorney who represented him after his arrest declined to comment on Gorski’s behalf.
Image credits: All photos via court documents.
