US Olympic swimmer Klete Keller was charged Wednesday with the deadly revolt of the Chapter last week, court files show.
A criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, found that Keller was charged with obstruction of law enforcement, knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or land without legal authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct. reasons in the Chapter.
The videos appear to show him on the Olympic gold medal in the Rotunda of the Chapter on January 6, wearing a jacket of the US Olympic team. As protesters clashed with police, law enforcement officers could be seen trying several times. push back the crowd which included a man who appears to be Keller. SwimSwam, a news site that covers competitive swimming, first identified Keller as a possible member of a Trump-backed mob that attacked the Chapter. The New York Times also spoke to former teammates and anonymous coaches who said he was part of the crowd.
Federal officials have confirmed that he is Keller in the videos, in part, matching the photo of his Colorado driver’s license with the person seen in the footage, according to the criminal complaint signed by a special FBI agent Matthew R. Barofsky. Keller, who is 6 feet tall and 6 inches tall, also stood out because he is one of the tallest people in the videos, he mentioned the complaint.
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Keller was part of the American swimming team at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Along with Michael Phelps, he was a member of the relay team that won the gold medal in the 4X200m freestyle in 2004 and 2008. also set a new world record at the same event at the 2007 FINA World Swimming Championships in Melbourne. , condemning the actions last week.
“We support the right to protest peacefully and to express our values and views in a respectful and legal manner – that is what makes our democracy strong. Unfortunately, this is not the case,” the committee said. .
Keller also resigned from real estate company Hoff & Leigh in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he worked as an independent contractor, according to a company statement.
“Hoff & Leigh supports the right to free speech and legal protest, but we cannot approve actions that violate the rule of law,” the company said.
The riot led to five deaths, including a police officer in the Capitol. House Democrats have accused President Trump of inciting the assault on the Chapter and voted on Wednesday to charge him For the second time. Ten Republicans in the House also voted in favor of the prosecution.