Savannah man facing federal charges in connection to Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A Savannah man is facing federal charges in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Dominic Box was captured on U.S. Capitol video footage, as well as countless open source posts, photographs, and videos.

This includes Box’s own Facebook livestreams of the events on Jan. 6.

Those livestreams depict Box breaching the restricted perimeter of the U.S. Capitol, entering the U.S. Capitol, and remaining in the U.S. the Capitol.

During a voluntary interview with the FBI in the presence of his mother on February 10, 2021, Box identified himself in videos, and largely confirmed information, according to the Department of Justice.

The DOJ says Box confirmed it was him in the videos and the livestreams on his social media posted to Facebook, YouTube, or both. The video captured much of Box’s march from the Save the Steal rally, down Pennsylvania Avenue, towards the U.S. Capitol.

At one point in the video Box is heard on the phone saying, “I can confirm that we’re all en route to Congress, to the Capitol. I can’t confirm that anybody’s, uh, stormed the Capitol or broken in, but we’re not there yet. We’ve heard reports of explosions and different things... but, uh, I don’t know what you can do to stop a crowd this size, with one thing on their mind. And, after hearing the [former] President [Trump] speak, specify the numbers and the ways in which this election was stolen from us, uh, I can definitely say I’d rather be on this side than the other. There’s some very, rightfully, disgruntled individuals here.”

Other video shows Box within the Capitol’s restricted perimeter as he approaches the scaffolding on the west front.

Additional open source video of Box was featured in the HBO documentary “Four Hours at the Capitol.” Box can be seen in those clips standing near the corner of the Capitol’s lower west terrace, next to a Capitol Police Officer in riot gear. Box is also seen and heard in the video as he instructs other rioters about how to overcome the tear gas that law enforcement had recently deployed to attempt to tame the mob, saying, “Get water on your bandana! Water on your bandana!”

Box elected to be interviewed for the documentary. In it he acknowledges his presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and says, “As I’m going up the scaffolding and getting to the steps, there was a kid who probably captured the emotions I was having... I was proud to see the American spirit that was on display.”

This portion of Box’s path is also shown in open source video and pictures, showing Box and other rioters who had removed the bicycle racks that indicated they were breaching a restricted, non-public area.

Capitol video footage from Jan. 6 at 2:14 p.m. shows Box first entered the U.S. Capitol through the Senate Wing Door on the northwest side of the building.

Box remained in the U.S. Capitol illegally for at least 15 minutes, initially. Much of this time was caught on Capitol video footage and in videos taken by Box and stored on his phone, which he provided to the FBI.

A Bloomberg Getty Image photograph shows Box walking through the Senate rotunda, giving the middle finger towards the dome.

Then, in one of the videos Box turned over to the FBI, Box captured an interaction he and other rioters had with one Capitol Police Officer. In the video, the Capitol Police Officer is seen and heard telling the mob to calm down, saying, “We don’t need any more violence right now, all right? Calm down. We can stand right here and talk it out, ok?”

Box then runs up to the Officer and exclaims, “There’s no talking, there’s no (expletive) talking!”

Open source video then captures Box shortly thereafter in the moment where the mob overwhelms law enforcement in the crypt.

Box livestreamed certain portions of his time inside the Capitol. In one of the videos, Box filmed rioters as they went up a staircase. He can also be heard chanting “USA, USA...” with the mob.

Box is also captured in open source video and images in other areas of the U.S. Capitol, including in a photograph where he is posing for a picture in the Small House Rotunda. Capitol surveillance footage also shows him in the first floor House hallway.

Around 2:35 p.m., Capitol video shows Box leaving through the Memorial Door on the east side of the U.S. Capitol. However, sometime between 2:35 p.m. and 3:04 p.m., Box chose to re-enter the Capitol for a second time.

In open source video posted to Twitter, Box is seen exiting through the Columbus Door on the east side, around 3:04 p.m.

Various open source videos show after this group of rioters exited the Columbus Door, Capitol Police closed that door. Video footage then shows Box turning towards the crowd and yelling, “We need more people!!” Box then re-approaches the closed Columbus Door, helps other rioters re-open it, and briefly enters the Capitol for what appears to be a third time.

More open source videos and pictures show Box remaining in the restricted perimeter at the Capitol.

Box faces federal charges for Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds, Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds, Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building, and Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building.

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