Greenfield man charged in connection with January 6 attack on the Capitol

GREENFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - A Greenfield man is facing charges in connection with the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Court documents released Friday indicate that Christopher Keniley of Greenfield was arrested Thursday without incident on charges including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

The documents indicate that the FBI learned through electronic evidence analysis that Keniley may have been involved in the events at the Capitol on January 6 and since that event, they had obtained several videos reportedly showing Keniley’s “unlawful presence both on the Capitol grounds and inside the Capitol building.”

Some video allegedly showed Keniley standing on the exterior of the Capitol among a large group of people and holding an American flag. More video from police body-worn cameras also reportedly showed Keniley standing in a crowd near a police line, holding a flag, as well as cellular phone as if to record or photograph the scene.

Court documents indicate that Keniley was seen in other video standing on a retaining wall next to the stairs leading to the Capitol, then walking along the edge of the wall and approaching police. He then reportedly shouted “Yeah the criminals are inside, go get them” and then turned to someone else in the crowd and allegedly shouted “We gotta get in there man, they aren’t going to listen to us” while pointing at the Capitol.

Investigators said that Keniley was seen on surveillance video at 3:09 p.m. inside the Capitol, carrying the same cell phone and flag. After being seen on other surveillance video walking in the building, Keniley is reportedly seen leaving the Capitol from the same door through which he entered at 3:19 p.m.

Court documents noted that on May 10, FBI agents interviewed a Massachusetts state trooper who pulled Keniley over for speeding on February 2, 2023. The FBI provided several photos of Keniley to the trooper, including one from his driver’s license, and the trooper reportedly positively identified Keniley from each picture. The trooper also allegedly recalled their interaction with Keniley and the trooper was able to positively identify Keniley from body-worn camera video as the person pulled over during the traffic stop.

The FBI noted that Keniley’s arrest brings the total number of those arrested by the bureau’s Boston division, in connection with the January 6 attack at the Capitol, to 30 people.

Editor’s note: this story has been updated to reflect new information from the FBI that Keniley is from Greenfield

Copyright 2023. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.