‘A coordinated act of domestic terrorism.’ KC Proud Boys included in federal lawsuit

Four Kansas City-area men are among the defendants named in a lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday in Washington, D.C., that calls the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers domestic terrorists and seeks to recover the costs of the deadly Capitol insurrection.

The 84-page lawsuit, filed by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, accuses the groups, their leaders and members of “conspiring to terrorize the District by planning, promoting, and participating in the violent January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol Building.”

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and asks for compensatory, statutory and punitive damages.

“Through this action,” the suit says, “the District seeks to hold the Defendants accountable under federal laws and the laws of the District of Columbia for the actions committed in furtherance of their conspiracy.”

Named as defendants are Proud Boys International LLC, Oath Keepers, 31 of their members or associates and John and Jane Does 1-50. Almost all of those who are identified face federal charges in connection with the insurrection.

Many, including the four from the Kansas City area — William Chrestman and Christopher Kuehne of Olathe, Louis Enrique Colon of Blue Springs, and Ryan Keith Ashlock of Gardner — are charged with conspiring to breach the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Chrestman also was charged with threatening to assault a federal law enforcement officer and carrying a wooden ax handle while in the Capitol building and on the grounds. The others from the Kansas City area were released on personal recognizance bonds, but Chrestman has been in custody since his arrest Feb. 11.

The lawsuit alleges that following the 2020 presidential election, the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, through their leaders and certain members and affiliates, conspired to commit acts of violence on Jan. 6 in order to prevent members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence from certifying the election results and declaring Joe Biden the winner.

Over several weeks, the suit says, the groups worked together “to plot, publicize, recruit for, and finance their planned attack.” The result of that planning, the lawsuit alleges, was “a coordinated act of domestic terrorism.”

“Would-be insurgents from across the country came to the District, marched through its streets, and ultimately gathered at the United States Capitol, ready and eager to carry out a violent attack on the lawful operation of government,” it says.

As the two groups had planned, the lawsuit alleges, rioters broke through police barricades and forced their way inside the Capitol.

“In doing so, they threatened, assaulted, and injured those who tried to stop them, including officers of the District’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and incited terror among those inside and around the building, including members of Congress who were discharging the official duties of their offices.”

The Capitol was left in shambles, the lawsuit says, “with the District left to deal with the aftermath of the violent disruption to what should have been the peaceful transition of presidential power.”

The lawsuit describes the Proud Boys as “a U.S.-based group that promotes and engages in political violence, including in service of its hate-motivated agenda.” The Oath Keepers, it says, “is a militia movement group united by baseless conspiracy theories arising from the idea that the federal government has been co-opted by a nefarious group that is trying to strip United States citizens of their rights.”

Both groups, the lawsuit says, have a long history of inciting and engaging in coordinated violence.

The lawsuit alleges that the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers used social media and electronic messaging platforms to coordinate the attack, recruited people to participate, coordinated the collection and distribution of tactical gear and weapons and organized travel for themselves and their co-conspirators.

“The Oath Keepers also created the Quick Reaction Force as a way to bring additional weaponry and firearms to the Capitol in the event that violent clashes broke out or if they were called to act by President Trump,” it says.

The lawsuit alleges that Chrestman, Kuehne and Colon were among a group of Proud Boys that overwhelmed the police and breached the outermost barricade that had been erected to protect the Capitol.

Once they invaded the building, the lawsuit says, “Proud Boys member Defendant Chrestman was also in the crowd, carrying a wooden axe handle. Chrestman threatened a Capitol Police officer, telling him, ‘You shoot and I’ll take your f------ ass out!’”

At least 65 Metropolitan Police officers reported sustaining injuries as a direct result of the insurrection, the lawsuit says, with officers continuing to suffer the effects of complex physical and emotional trauma.

The financial costs of the attack have been steep as well, the lawsuit says.

“The Defendants’ actions necessitated an unprecedented deployment of MPD resources,” it says. “During the height of the Attack, approximately 850 MPD officers were at the Capitol; by the day’s end, approximately 250 additional MPD officers were in the area to support the response and aftermath.”

The District also incurred costs related to emergency and other medical care provided to injured MPD officers. Dozens were treated for injuries, the suit says, and many required — and in some cases, still do — mental health care.

“While the costs to the District are still being investigated and tallied, the District has preliminarily estimated that MPD incurred millions of dollars in costs during the week of January 6th alone,” the lawsuit says. “The District expects to pay for continued medical care for these officers as necessary going forward, including care related to the impact of the attack on MPD officers’ mental health.”