Former Georgia Southern football player arrested on Jan. 6 riot charges
Bodyworn camera depicting the suspect's struggle against police. (U.S. Attorney's Office)
SAVANNAH, Ga. - A former Detroit Lion and Georgia Southern University football player is set to appear in court this week on charges connected with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Leander Antwione Williams, 31, was arrested by the FBI in Savannah on Nov. 14.
He's charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder - both felonies - and multiple misdemeanors.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Williams was among the group of rioters who breached the restricted perimeter of the Capitol Grounds near Pennsylvania Walkway perimeter.
A still from an open-source video showing the push against officers at around 2:09 p.m. (U.S. Attorney's Office)
Officials say that Williams tried to grab a bike rack from an officer working to clear the Capitol's West Plaza and then lunged at another officer.
Body camera footage reportedly showed Williams approaching the police barricades again 25 minutes later, grabbing it to try and remove it. When officers tried to push him away, officials say he resisted and struck an officer in the head.
A short time later, officials say Williams joined the rioters and grabbed two officers to try to breach the authorities' defensive formation.
Investigators say they identified the man known as "#RiotingGolfer" from his key fob and hat that he allegedly wore during the riot.
Williams completed one season for the Detroit Lions after playing at Georgia Southern from 2011 to 2015.
He's scheduled to appear in federal court on Thursday.