Ryan Samsel

Ryan Stephen Samsel (born 1983/1984) is an American former barber and convicted felon who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack. He was charged with several crimes, including forcibly assaulting federal officers; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; carrying out an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds; and obstruction of an official proceeding—the United States Congress's efforts to certify the election results. Samsel was in custody since his arrest; his bench trial began in October 2023. In February 2024, he was found guilty.

On January 20, 2025, after beginning his second term in office, President Trump issued pardons to roughly 1,500 individuals charged with crimes connected to the January 6 attack, including Samsel, who was responsible for violently attacking Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards.

Background Samsel is a barber from Bristol, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. he lives with his aunt and uncle. In 2006, he allegedly attempted to pull a woman off the road in his car because she owed him $60, punched her windshield, and threatened to kill her. In 2007, he reportedly entered a man's car, and hit him repeatedly in the face, leaving him missing teeth and bloodied. As of January 2021, Samsel had a 2019 assault-related arrest warrant out from Riverside, New Jersey, and was on state parole in Pennsylvania. Samsel later told FBI investigators that Biggs had pulled him aside and encouraged him to push the barricades, and challenge and confront the Capitol police.

After his conversation with Biggs, at 12:53 p.m. Samsel walked to the front of the crowd while turning his hat backward and removing his jacket. The New York Times called the moment "the tipping point of the riot." As others joined him, the barricade fell, a police officer was knocked down, and the riot followed. She was rescued by her fellow police officers. His bench trial began in October 2023 before U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia Jia Cobb. He was found guilty in February 2024 and was set to be sentenced on February 4, 2025.

On January 20, 2025, after beginning his second term in office, President Trump issued pardons to Samsel and roughly 1,500 other individuals charged with crimes connected to January 6. Samsel alleged that he had been abused in custody; prosecutors disputed this, stating that Samsel fabricated the claims to file a lawsuit.