Daniel ‘Rally Runner’ Donnelly Jr. faces charges after stealing a police shield and leading rioters on January 6
Daniel ‘Rally Runner’ Donnelly Jr. spotted at a rally of Trump supporters on January 6
St. Louis Cardinals super fan Daniel Donnelly, commonly known as the ‘Rally Runner’, accused of stealing a police shield and leading a riot at an entrance to the U.S Capitol on January 6, 2021
Rally Runner accused of taking a police riot shield and aiding a mob of incensed Donald Trump Supporters in overpowering law enforcement at the US capitol on January 6, 2021.
Donnelly, the Rally Runner, is renowned for painting his face red to irritate the crowd during St. Louis Cardinals games.
According to an article by Law & Crime, the Rally Runner has gained some local notoriety for his energetic runs around the stadium during home games in support of the St. Louis Cardinals, the baseball team from his hometown.
In relation to the riot on 6th of January 2021, 43-year-old Daniel ‘Rally Runner’ Donnelly Jr. of St. Louis, Missouri is accused of felony and at least four misdemeanors.
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Rally Runner wore his signature red face paint and an all-red outfit at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, but only this time he matched his outfit with a red “Keep America Great” cap, prosecutors claimed.
By running laps outside Busch Stadium wearing all red-colored pieces of clothing and a face of red paint hoping that his jogs would result in more runs for Cardinals, Rally Runner has somewhat became a mascot of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
Tucker Carlson in his show on Fox News, described Rally Runner as a ‘plant’ and that the riot was planned and staged by a shadow government. He also claimed that the Rally Runner, Mr. Donnelly, was “clearly a law enforcement officer”.
Justice Department said that Rally Runner helped the enraged Trump supporters by using a riot shield to forcefully push against the police officers at the U.S Capitol during the Inauguration Day on January 6, 2021.
In an article by The New York Times, the federal agency said in a news release that Rally Runner was charged with one count of civil disorder, a felony, and several misdemeanor offenses, including disorderly conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, obstructing access to the Capitol grounds, and theft of government property.
The said rioters also used Rally Runner as a shield as they were attacking the police officers as he held his position inches away from the confrontation.
As a group, rioters continued to push against the officers with Rally Runner in the lead.
Daniel Donnelly Jr., the Rally Runner, later used the shield in pushing the law enforcement officers back, advancing the rioters.
According to FBI, Mr. Donnelly may have once officially changed his identity to Rally Runner. He expresses his support to Trump on his Facebook page where he also posted videos of the January 6 attack and discussing his favorite baseball team.
Previously on June 14, he referred to his rally runs as a ‘spiritual’ act and would be going on a ‘sabbatical’.
