A St. Louis Cardinals fan, who was accused of participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, pleaded guilty on Friday to charges connected to the insurrection. The individual allegedly stormed the Capitol dressed in all red.
In 2017, a man named Daniel Donnelly, Jr. legally changed his name to Rally Runner. Recently, Rally Runner pleaded guilty to a felony offense of civil disorder in the District of Columbia, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
A 43-year-old man named Runner, hailing from Missouri, made a bold entrance at the Capitol. He donned a red “Keep America Great” hat, a matching red jacket, and even had his face painted red. Interestingly, Runner is renowned in his hometown of St. Louis for his lively antics during Cardinals games. It is reported by The Associated Press that he can be seen sprinting around the stadium, fully dressed in red with his face painted to match.
During the riot, Runner actively took part by grabbing a stolen police riot shield and confronting law enforcement. Using the shield, Runner pushed the crowd of rioters deeper into the Capitol, as stated by prosecutors.
In a video posted on Facebook later that day, Runner addressed his actions at the Capitol. Throughout the video, he was seen still wearing his red outfit and face paint.
According to the release, the individual stated on the social media platform that they obtained a riot shield with the intention of being the person who goes the farthest without causing any violence.
Runner’s post went on to explain, “I occupied a significant amount of space and positioned myself right at the forefront with a rioter shield. Strangely enough, it seemed like the others who were also on the front lines with me emulated my actions. It was as if they were taking cues from me.”
On August 2, 2023, authorities apprehended him in St. Louis. Judge Jia M. Cobb of the U.S. District Court will deliver his sentence on July 30.
Over 1,358 individuals have faced charges in connection with the Capitol riot.
