WASHINGTON (WJW) — A Wellington man who allegedly took part in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol alongside his son is charged with attacking five officers.
In footage circulated online and captured by police cameras, the man federal authorities later identified as Michael Mackrell can be seen among the crowd marching to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
He was wearing camouflage clothing, with an American flag gaiter mask covering his mouth and nose, according to his criminal complaint and arrest warrant unsealed Thursday in the District of Columbia federal court.
In surveillance footage from the upper west plaza of the Capitol Building, he can be seen wrapping his arm around one officer’s neck and throwing him to the ground. It happened just before 2:30 p.m., minutes after congressional chambers had been evacuated.
He’s seen a minute later in police body camera footage pushing another officer near the southwest plaza stage. Immediately after, he tackled a third officer near that plaza.
Within another couple minutes, Mackrell “rushed and tackled a fourth officer,” a Metropolitan Police sergeant, in the west plaza. Minutes later, he is seen tackling a fifth officer near the southwest plaza.
See photos taken from the criminal complaint below:




Mackrell faces four counts, including forcibly assaulting officers and other charges related to the Capitol breach, to which he pleaded not guilty Thursday.
He was released on a $20,000 unsecured bond, court records show. No further court dates have been set.
Authorities said Mackrell was in the Capitol with his son, Clifford Mackrell, who was indicted in January 2022, also accused of assaulting officers and other charges relating to the Capitol breach.
Prosecutors allege Clifford was part of the crowd that broke through officers’ ranks, pushing through a barricade and driving officers back toward the Capitol Building. As someone in the crowd sprayed what appeared to be bear spray toward officers, Clifford struck an officer multiple times, and tried to remove the officer’s gas mask, authorities said.
Clifford reportedly told someone following him with a camera that his name was “Cliff” and that he was from Ohio.
He was arrested in March 2021 at the Mackrells’ home. Michael Mackrell was present during the arrest, but his identity as the person seen attacking the five officers was not confirmed until later.
A friend of Clifford’s “for several years” later told federal agents Clifford chatted with him online about taking the trip to the Capitol with his father.
Clifford’s case is still pending and currently set for trial on May 10, court records show.
FOX 8 went to Mackrell’s home in Wellington, but no one answered the door. We also reached out to his attorney, who told us he had no comment.