Court file: Seattle man arrested for assaulting media at Olympia protest
SEATTLE - A Seattle man was arrested Tuesday and accused of assaulting two journalists and making death threats to a third journalist while taking part in the Jan. 6 breach of the governor's mansion in Olympia, according to court documents and Washington State Patrol officials.
The suspect, identified as Damon Huseman, 26, of Seattle, arrived at the Olympia protest that morning carrying an assault-type rifle, the case file says.
At around noon and shortly afterward, he pepper-sprayed two members of the media near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Capitol Boulevard, the court file says. The spray "caused bodily harm and incapacitated both victims for hours," according to the case file.
Later, Huseman allegedly threatened a third member of the media by saying he was going to "shoot them dead" within the next year. The victim of this threat "feared for her safety" and believed Huseman was referring to her and all other media personnel, court documents say.
That victim then warned other members of the media about Huseman.
The three victims reported the incidents to a State Patrol detective and were able to provide photos of Huseman to aid in the investigation.
Huseman went on to take part in the breach of the governor's mansion and other incidents during the course of the day, according to the Washington State Patrol.
He was arrested Tuesday without incident and booked into the Thurston County Jail on suspicion of second-degree assault, felony harassment and criminal trespassing.
