Officials arrest ‘Roman gladiator’ who stormed Capitol while filming it for his mom

Federal authorities have arrested and filed charges against an alleged Capitol rioter who apparently dressed in a Roman gladiator costume and filmed videos for his mother as he joined hundreds of other Trump supporters in protesting the results of the 2020 election. 

According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 48-year-old Nathan Wayne Entrekin “stood out” to authorities “due to the outfit he chose to wear on January 6, 2021, in part because of the temperature, and in part because of the unique nature of the costume.” 

Authorities said that they were able to identify Entrekin based on videos and photos taken on Jan. 6 that showed him at the Capitol wearing a gladiator costume identical to one found on an online retailer. 

In one video from the riot, the Arizona man explained to an interviewer that he was dressed as Captain Moroni, a figure from the Book of Mormon who “sought to defend the liberties of his people—the Nephites—from another group—the Amalickiahites—that wanted to overthrow democracy and install a king,” according to the complaint. 

The defendant was also pictured carrying “a wooden dowel with a piece of white cloth attached,” which included handwritten text containing a passage from the Book of Mormon, reading, “IN MEMORY OF OUR GOD, OUR RELIGION, AND FREEDOM, AND OUR PEACE, OUR WIVES, AND OUR CHILDREN.” 

In video later obtained by authorities from Entrekin’s phone, the man apparently addressed his mother multiple times, saying at one point, “I’m here, Mom! This is my flag.” 

According to the complaint, Entrekin in another video said, “I made it, Mom. I made it to the top. Mom, look, I made it to the top, to the top here.” 

“Look at all the patriots here,” he continued, adding, “I’m here for Trump. Four more years, Donald Trump! Our rightful president!” 

While authorities said that Entrekin claimed he was pushed into the Capitol building by the crowd surrounding him, security footage from the FBI did not appear to show the man being forced in, with investigators adding that he also left the building and later reentered it. 

Authorities have charged Entrekin with knowingly entering or remaining on restricted grounds, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct at the Capitol. 

It was not immediately clear if Entrekin had a lawyer representing him in the case. 

The Arizona man is one of the more than 500 people who have been charged in connection with the riot, during which multiple people died and several others were injured.