UCLA student arrested by FBI in connection with Capitol riot following tip from another student
LOS ANGELES - A UCLA student from Costa Mesa has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in connection with the Capitol riot, authorities said.
Christian Secor, 22, was arrested at a residence in Costa Mesa Tuesday morning. He made his initial appearance in federal court in Santa Ana that afternoon and was ordered detained with no bail granted.
(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
He faces several federal charges including assaulting, resisting or impeding officers and aiding and abetting, civil disorder and aiding and abetting, obstructing an official proceeding, entering and remaining in restricted buildings or grounds, and violent entry and disorderly conduct.
According to Secor's arrest affidavit, Secor can be seen on video footage pushing his way past officers attempting to block doors leading into the Capitol, while wearing a red hat bearing the slogan "Make America Great Again."
Photo of Secor provided by tipster. (Credit: FBI)
He can also be spotted on the floor of the Senate and sitting in the chair of the presiding officer, while carrying a flag with the words "America First," the affidavit states.
According to the document, several individuals submitted information to the FBI about his presence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The tipster, a current student at UCLA, submitted the image seen above, which they obtained from Twitter, according to the FBI. The tipster identified the individual in the photograph as Christian Secor, a UCLA student and founder of the campus organization "America First Bruins."
(Credit: FBI)
When asked for a comment, a UCLA spokesperson did not comment specifically about Secor.
"Information on this person is not available to the public,'' said Bill Kisliuk, UCLA's director of media relations. "What I can tell you is that UCLA believes the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol was an attack on our democracy. As an institution, UCLA is committed to mutual respect, making decisions based on evidence and using rational debate and not physical violence."
The U.S. Capitol was overrun by supporters of President Donald Trump on Jan. 6 as lawmakers convened for a joint session to confirm the Electoral College vote won by President-elect Joe Biden. Rioters were seen scaling the sides of the building, shattering windows and forcibly gaining entry to the nation's Capitol.
The riot left five people dead, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. Another officer died in an apparent suicide after the attack.
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According to the FBI, more than 200 arrests have been made in connection with the Capitol siege, and the FBI is showing no signs of slowing down.
The bureau's Washington Field Office on Tuesday shared photos of several additional suspects and asked anyone who recognizes them to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or filing a tip here.