Traverse City man arrested for participating in January 6 Capitol attack
By Beth Milligan | June 30, 2022
A 27-year-old Traverse City man was arrested Thursday in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Luke Michael Lints faces multiple charges including obstructing law enforcement during civil unrest, entering and staying in a restricted building or land, physical violence in a restricted building or land , obstruction of passage through the grounds or buildings of the Capitol and acts of physical violence. violence in the grounds or buildings of the Capitol.
According to the US Department of Justice, Lints was among “rioters who repeatedly engaged in violence against law enforcement officers guarding the Capitol.” The complaint states that “Lints participated in the confrontation with law enforcement officers in the Lower West Terrace and in the Capitol Tunnels. He entered the tunnel from the Lower West Terrace towards 3:10 p.m., walking towards the front of the police. He held a police shield and pushed back the law enforcement officers. At one point, Lints used a police shield to prevent a law enforcement officer order to close a door to protect against rioters. Lints was also among the crowd just outside the tunnel as a Metropolitan Police Department officer was assaulted by rioters.”
Lints made his first court appearance Thursday in the Western District of Michigan. His case is being pursued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Valuable assistance was provided by the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan,” according to the Department of Justice. “The case is being investigated by the FBI Field Office in Detroit and its resident agency in Traverse City, as well as the FBI Field Office in Washington, which has identified Lints as No. 261 on his information gathering photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.”
In the 17 months since the Jan. 6 attack, more than 800 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 250 people charged with assault or impede the application of the law. The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.