A Neptune Beach man, who was arrested in connection with an altercation during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol that left an officer “visibly injured,” has opted for a trial on his charges.
Daniel Paul Gray faces a 9-count indictment. He was arrested on charges that include forcibly assaulting, resisting, impeding and interfering with police; engaging in acts of physical violence in the Capitol building; and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
On Tuesday in federal court, a trial date was set for Jan. 18, 2023, records show.
Six other Northeast Floridians were arrested in the riot. Five have pleaded guilty, four have been sentenced. One man died before his case could be adjudicated.
According to court documents, Gray was one of the first people to try and break through police lines. Once inside the Capitol Rotunda, bodycam video shows that he grabbed the baton of an officer trying to stop the rioters and push her, causing her to fall down a set of stairs and be visibly injured.
According to court documents, Gray posted a four-minute video to his Instagram account where he appeared to be walking through an airport and describing his activities at the Capitol on Jan. 6. In the video, according to prosecutors, Gray said: “We start pushing the police out the back of the Capitol; we pushed them from the front to the back of the Capitol.”
Prosecutors said he also described how the group arrived at the staircase and started “pushing them [the police] down the staircase,” and also said, “This is far from over, that was the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life and stay tuned.” In social media messages Gray sent after Jan. 6, he said, “Lol I was one of the first in the capital,” according to prosecutors.