Prosecutors say a man who is facing charges for breaching the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection and threatening Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also made racist posts online calling for the public lynching of a Black officer he thought killed a Trump supporter.
Garret Miller, the attorneys said Monday (March 29), became preoccupied with finding the name of the US Capitol Police Officer involved in the shooting death of Ashli Babbitt during the riot. According to a report by CNN, Miller wanted to get “justice” in Babbitt’s death and ended up posting a Black police officer’s photo to Facebook.
“He’s a prize to be taken,” Miller allegedly posted in reference to the officer, new court documents show.
He allegedly added that he wanted to “hug his neck with a nice rope” and that the officer “will swing.” The outlet reported that it’s unclear if the officer Miller posted is the officer who was involved in the shooting.
According to court documents, Miller also communicated with an associate on Instagram and said “I had a rope in my bag that day.”
Authorities uncovered two ropes from Miller’s home in Texas, along with several weapons, ammunition, a crossbow, and body armor.
The lawyers also noted that when law enforcement arrested Miller in Dallas, authorities say he was wearing a shirt that said, “I Was There, Washington D.C., January 6, 2021.”
The US Capitol Police Department has not identified the officer who fatally shot Babbit. An investigation into the incident did not recommend criminally charging the officer who fired on Babbitt as she attempted to enter the Speaker’s Lobby during the insurrection.
Miller also allegedly tweeted threats against Oscasio-Cortez, calling for her to be assassinated. In total, Miller faces 12 charges in connection with the January 6 riot.
CNN reported prosecutors advocated for Miller to remain in jail and that a virtual hearing is scheduled for Thursday (April 1).
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