A 24-year-old trans-identified male from Massachusetts, arrested on Monday at the U.S. Capitol with Molotov cocktails and a knife, had been planning an attack for a month and intended to “hurt big players” in Washington, D.C., according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) court filing seeking pretrial detention.
The DOJ identified the suspect as Ryan Michael English, also known as “Riley Jane English,” and referred to English using she/her pronouns in the document. The filing states that English bought an atlas with cash a month before the January 27 arrest, deliberately leaving a mobile phone at home to avoid surveillance. The atlas was allegedly used to navigate Washington, D.C., without relying on GPS.
According to the DOJ, English traveled to D.C. on January 26 with the intent of assassinating the Secretary of Defense, the Speaker of the House, or burning down a D.C.-based think tank. Initially, English’s target shifted after reading Reddit posts about the confirmation hearing of Scott Bessent, who was later confirmed as Secretary of State. English then surveilled the Capitol for over an hour, allegedly planning to kill at least three U.S. Capitol Police officers to reach the nominee.
Upon arrest, authorities found a handwritten note in English’s pocket apologizing to someone named “Judith” and referencing an internal struggle over the attack. English’s arms bore the phrases “no future no choice” and “there is only one Earth.”
During a custodial interview, English stated that a congenital heart defect left only four months to live. English described feeling a calling to “do good” and insisted there was no specific plan upon arriving in D.C. However, the suspect admitted to devising ways to get close to a target, including posing as an intern at a think tank. English also mentioned a failed plan to commit suicide on the White House steps and even contemplated an attack on former President Donald Trump.
English referenced Luigi Mangione, who was arrested in December for assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, as a source of reflection, initially dismissing such actions as futile but later rationalizing them through a personal sense of urgency.
The DOJ concluded that English’s actions reflected a dangerous escalation in criminal behavior. “The Defendant took multiple significant steps towards carrying out such a plan,” the filing states. Given the recklessness displayed in the custodial interview, the DOJ argued that English should remain detained pending trial to ensure public safety.
