Pa. woman who filmed photographer assault at Capitol arrested
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. A pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, breaking windows and clashing with police officers. Trump supporters gathered in
PHILADELPHIA - A Pennsylvania woman accused of filming an attack on — and allegedly yelling for the attackers to mace — a New York Times photographer during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was arrested Monday.
Sandra "Sandy" Pomeroy Weyer, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, outside of Harrisburg, is facing charges of violently entering a restricted building, disrupting government proceedings and engaging in disorderly or threatening conduct while inside the Capitol. Court records did not list an attorney for Weyer, who is scheduled to make her first appearance Thursday in federal court via video conference.
According to court documents unsealed Monday in Weyer's case, several witnesses contacted the FBI to report that Weyer had posted live video inside the Capitol on her Facebook profile. Facebook removed the videos but several were recovered by investigators.
FBI investigators say Weyer, who was wearing a red sweatshirt, can be seen on a landing filming with her cellphone as four or five men confront a female New York Times photographer taking photos. Investigators say the photographer told them the men demanded to know who she worked for and when she didn't answer, they reached into her vest and took her press credentials.
The photographer told investigators in an interview that the men became agitated when they saw she worked for the New York Times, pushed her down and took one of her cameras. She chased them and was pushed down again.
Investigators say Weyer can be heard screaming that the photographer was a traitor, to "get her out" and to "mace her."
Agents also recovered a handful of conversations between Weyer and other Facebook users saying she had been inside the Capitol, that she hadn't seen rioters and characterizing the group as patriots, and saying that "she did what needed to be done."
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