Fact check: Did people bring weapons to January 6th

1. Summary of the results

The evidence conclusively shows that various weapons were brought to the January 6th Capitol riot. Multiple sources confirm specific cases of individuals carrying firearms and other weapons:

• Lonnie Coffman of Alabama had multiple firearms and 11 Molotov cocktails ^[1]
• Guy Reffitt of Texas brought a handgun onto Capitol grounds ^[1]
• Christopher Michael Alberts of Maryland was arrested with a loaded handgun ^[1]

Beyond firearms, protesters were armed with:

• Stun guns and pepper spray
• Baseball bats and flagpoles
• Bear spray
• Crowd-control railings ^[2]

In total, at least 85 of the 800+ people charged were accused of using deadly or dangerous weapons ^[2], with 23 specifically charged with having deadly or dangerous weapons during the assault ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual points need to be considered:

• The legal definition of "armed" extends beyond just firearms - it includes any weapon that can be used for offense or defense ^[1]
• While an FBI official initially stated no firearms were confiscated on-site, subsequent evidence revealed that weapons were indeed present ^[3]
• Before and after the event, police seized:

Multiple firearms including an assault rifle

Thousands of rounds of ammunition

A crossbow

Stun guns

Molotov cocktails ^[3]

**3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement**

The simple question "Did people bring weapons?" could be misleading as it might suggest a focus only on firearms. This overlooks the broader range of weapons that were present and used during the riot. The sources emphasize that:

At least 12 individuals were charged specifically with firearms offenses ^[2]

• Many more were charged with using other types of weapons
• The presence of weapons ranged from improvised items like flagpoles to prepared weapons like Molotov cocktails ^[4]

This comprehensive evidence from multiple sources shows that the event involved various types of weapons, both conventional firearms and other dangerous implements.