Man Seen Carrying Zip Ties in U.S. Capitol Has Been Arrested
Written by SOURCE on January 11, 2021
The man who was photographed holding zip ties during Wednesday’s pro-Trump riot in the U.S. Capitol has been arrested in Tennessee, Buzzfeed News reports.
The mysterious Trump supporter, who has been identified as Eric Gavelek Munchel, was seen wearing tactical gear in the above Getty Images photo and carrying zip ties in his hand as he leapt over a handrail inside the Senate Chamber. Munchel, 30, also had a holster on his right hip, but it was initially unclear what he was carrying at the time.
NewsChannel5 in Nashville reports a livestream recorded hours after the scene at the Capitol showa Munchel with a woman, believed to be his mother, having drinks inside the lobby of a Washington D.C. hotel. Munchel, who was still wearing the same camouflage outfit he wore in the photo, was asked in the livestream about his empty holster. “It’s just a Taser, but the police came and took it away from me,” he said. “They didn’t like it because of tonight. They said I couldn’t open carry a Taser.”
Munchel was spotted earlier that day among the crowd with the same woman in the livestream.
Authorities were able to center their search, thanks to the patch worn by Munchel over his chest featuring a blue line under the Punisher logo sitting over the American flag.
Munchel has been known to wear the same outfit at pro-Trump gatherings in the Nashville area.
Internet sleuths eventually found his Facebook page, which showed that he previously worked at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille in Tennessee.
“A former employee of ours from 2+ years ago was involved in the recent events at the Capitol building,” the company said on Facebook, adding Munchel has “no affiliation with this employee and their actions were their own.” Munchel has been charged with one count of knowingly entering a restricted building and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct.
