An Illinois judge ordered John Banuelos, who was charged with firing a gun at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to be detained on Tuesday due to what prosecutors described as his “mind-numbingly dangerous” actions that day.
Judge Beth Jantz of the Northern District of Illinois ordered Banuelos, 39, of Summit, Ill., detained pending his appearance in Washington, D.C., court on March 21, according to NBC News.
Banuelos is accused of scaling scaffolding and firing a gun into the air during the Capitol riot. He was arrested last Friday and charged with a number of criminal and misdemeanor counts, including firearms, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
According to building surveillance footage, Banuelos was seen holding up his hand in the shape of a “finger gun” and fake firing it many times at authorities.
He was then seen ascending scaffolding for the initial stage and removing a handgun from his belt. He allegedly held the gun over his head and fired two bullets before returning it to his waistband and jumping down, according to the DOJ.
Prosecutors claimed that Banuelos’ actions were “mind-numbingly dangerous” and that “any number of life-threatening events could have transpired,” such as an active shooter response from police or a stampede of fellow rioters.
“Fortunately, none of these events came to pass, but the fact that no such harm ensued does nothing to mitigate the seriousness of Banuelos’ actions,” they stated in a statement.
Banuelos is not permitted to own a handgun, per a Utah court order issued in 2021.The DOJ asserts that he posts videos online featuring guns, including a starter pistol that police found during a March 8, 2024, search of his mother’s house.
“Banuelos must be detained pending trial to protect the safety of the community and ensure his return to court,” the prosecutor’s office stated.
More than 1,300 people have been charged in connection with the attack on the Capitol. More than 800 people have been sentenced, with nearly two-thirds given prison terms ranging from a few days to 22 years, according to the Associated Press.
