Accused Capitol Rioter From Region Discovered by Varsity Jacket
An accused capitol rioter from the Lower Hudson Valley was identified by the FBI because he was wearing his varsity jacket.
Recently the police chief in North Castle Township called the FBI to talk about information related to the breach of the Capitol. The police chief informed the FBI that the Superintendent of Byram Hills High School in Armonk and many others of the community near Byram Hills High School determined that someone at the riot was wearing a Byram Hills jacket, a criminal complaint states.
This determination was based upon photographs and videos of a person appearing at the entrance to the Capitol Building. However, the Superintendent did not know who the specific individual was.
Later the police chief called the FBI again and stated the individual was believed to be Brian Gunderson, the criminal complaint states. The police chief further stated that Gunderson was known to local law enforcement. Gunderson played varsity football for Byram Hills High School. Gunderson wore number "70" while playing high school football. The photograph of the person appearing to enter the Capitol Building was wearing an apparent Byram Hills varsity jacket with a two-digit number, ending in “0” on the left sleeve, officials say.
On Jan. 18, the FBI requested a Digital Media review on Gunderson, that review includes a search through the database that the FBI maintains on the many tips that the FBI has received from the public about the riots at the U.S. Capitol. The search returned a number of tips related to Gunderson, official say. The tips included pictures of him wearing a jacket, on multiple occasions, that appears to be the same jacket worn by the person at the Capitol.
The FBI later received a tip that video of a man wearing a Byram Hills High School varsity jacket storming the U.S. Capitol aired on CNN. The tipster stated that the Facebook page for that individual and/or his brother is under the name “Brian Kristopher.” The legal process was later served on Facebook. The results of that process confirmed that the username associated with the “Brian Kristopher” account was “brian.gundersen.3," officials say.
A group of Byram Hills alumni, based on their knowledge of Gunderson, stated the man wearing the Byram Hills lettermen jacket was Gunderson, officials say. The FBI obtained another photo this week of the individual with the Byram Hills jacket walking toward an entrance to the Capitol.
This week, the FBI interviewed a witness, a close friend of Gundersen who told the FBI Gundersen was an avid supporter of former President Trump and went to Washington D.C. to attend a January 6, 2021 rally for President Trump.
The witness was told by another witness that Gundersen called to say he was in the Capitol building. Gundersen also told the witness that when everyone else stormed into the Capitol building, he followed everyone inside and walked around the halls but was never violent while inside the Capitol, according to the FBI.
Gundersen was also interviewed by the FBI this week. He admitted going to the rally and wearing the varsity jacket, officials say. At first, he claimed to not have gone into the U.S. Capitol building. He later admitted going into the U.S. Capitol building, claiming he was pushed into the building by the crowd, officials say.
The New York Post reports Gundersen is now facing charges for knowingly entering and remaining on restricted grounds and disorderly conduct.
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