Christopher Warnagiris, a major in the US Marine Corps, has the dubious honor of being the first active duty military member to be arrested in connection to the MAGA Sedition Riot on January 6.
On top of that, Warnagiris was not just the average run of the mill seditionist, but also also assaulted a police officer. From the Department of Justice statement on the arrest:
Major Christopher Warnagiris, 40, of Woodbridge, is charged with federal offenses that include assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; and obstruction of justice, among other charges. Warnagiris will make his initial court appearance today at 2:00 p.m. in the Eastern District of Virginia. Public access to the hearing is available via: 1-877-336-1828, with an access code of 8977102.
According to court documents and security camera footage, Warnagiris violently entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, after pushing through a line of police officers guarding the East Rotunda doors. Once inside, Warnagiris positioned himself in the corner of the doorway, using his body to keep the door open and pull others inside. When a U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officer tried to pull the doors shut, Warnagiris refused and continued pushing it open. Warnagiris can be seen pushing the officer in an effort to maintain his position in the open door in security camera footage and publicly available video footage captured shortly after 2:25 p.m.
Wanagaris shouldn't look for help from the Marine Corps either:
The U.S. Marine Corps, which confirmed Warnagiris is on active duty, said: "The Marine Corps is clear on this: There is no place for racial hatred or extremism in the Marine Corps. Our strength is derived from the individual excellence of every Marine regardless of background. Bigotry and racial extremism run contrary to our core values."
The civil court action takes precedent over a court martial, but the Marines could still take administrative actions, such as involuntary discharge, can still take place. While I'm not familiar with the Marines' rules and policies, I certainly hope that this disgrace to the uniform is also, at a minimum, stripped of rank and loses his pension and other benefits.
BREAKING: Active-duty Marine Major Christopher Warnagiris, based at Quantico, was arrested in Virginia for assaulting federal officers at the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/vh7TdReT4d
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) May 13, 2021
