Firefighters are supposed to spray water at fires, but a Montana fire and recuse chief who went to the Capitol to participate in the January 6 attack allegedly shot "an orange-colored chemical agent directly into the face" of a Capitol Police officer, reports NBC News.
The fire chief arrested is Frank Dahlquist, who sent a text that day that said, "It was a great day!! It got spicy but I love the taste of Freedom." Dahlquist is currently the Chief of West Valley Fire Rescue in Montana and is against vaccine mandates.
According to the FBI's criminal complaint filed on January 4, 2024, Dahlquist did the following things on January 6:
- Assaulting and attempting to assault police officers on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol.
- Spraying an orange-colored chemical agent directly into the face of a police officer.
- Assaulting another officer with chemical spray on the same West Plaza but at a different location.
- Throwing a piece of lumber over his shoulder towards a group of law enforcement officers, although it did not hit them.
- Entered the Capitol building through the Senate Wing Door, as captured by internal security cameras.
- Inside the Capitol, he recorded his progression through the building with a cell phone.
- After leaving the building through the Senate Wing Doors, he continued to engage with law enforcement on the Upper West Terrace.
NBC News reports that Chief Dahlquist was charged with assault and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.
The arrest follows the news from yesterday that Rachel Marie Powell, aka the Bullhorn Lady, was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in the January 6 insurrection.
