A man who identifies as a woman has been arrested after asserting he wanted to kill top Republicans and telling police he had knives and the makings of Molotov cocktails.
Ryan Michael English, 24, of Massachusetts was arrested Monday, according to The New York Times.
Although initial reporting identified English as a man, a report from WUSA-TV noted that “English’s attorney clarified in a memo Wednesday that her client uses the name Riley Jane,” which led to some documents referring to him as female.
English was taken into custody after telling a Capitol Police officer he wanted to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to an affidavit filed with U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia by a Capitol Police special agent, the Times reported.
English, who faces charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying a dangerous explosive on the grounds of the Capitol, had knives, a lighter, rags, and vodka bottles in his pockets, the affidavit said.
“English’s thoughts were to use the small bottles of vodka to start fires and later to wrap them in rags soaked in alcohol, light them and throw them at Bessent’s feet,” the affidavit said.
English had considered stabbing Bessent if he could, the affidavit said.
A Trantifa militant radicalized by @Reddit named Ryan Michael “Riley Jane” English has been federally charged for allegedly trying to kill members of Trump cabinet and/or burn down a conservative think tank.
From Massachusetts, English traveled to the capital on Jan. 27 and… pic.twitter.com/X2cLXqbaxN
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) January 30, 2025
The affidavit, portions of which were posted on social media platform X, indicated that English also considered an attack on the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
The affidavit indicated that English thought of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as a “Nazi,” and hoped to kill him or House Speaker Mike Johnson, or perhaps both. On his trip from Massachusetts to Washington, the affidavit said, English spotted some Reddit posts about Bessent and changed targets.
Upon arrival, however, English surrendered.
“I’d like to turn myself in,” English told a Capitol Police officer, according to the Daily Mail.
Police said a receipt in English’s pockets had a letter on the back.
“Judith dear god I am so sorry. You must understand I can feel myself dying slowly b/c of my heart,” he wrote, adding, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters. I love you. This is awful. Im so sorry. I love u. Please stay alive and heal. you can. you are strong enough.”
The note included a reference to an unknown “them” English said were “pushing us so far.”
The Daily Mail report said English would have needed to kill three Capitol Police offers to reach Bessent.
English “expressed acceptance and content with the possibility of suicide by cop,” the affidavit said.
The incident comes days after reports that a 22-year-old Wisconsin woman involved in a 2014 murder now claims she is a man.
