(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The Jan. 6 protestor pushed from a 30-foot-high staircase has sued Capitol Police Officer Bryant Williams and House Speaker Mike Johnson over the incident.
The protestor, Derrick Vargo, seeks monetary damages, a court order declaring that Williams attempted to murder him, and an order for Speaker Johnson to open an investigation into the police brutality that occurred during the Jan. 6, 2021, event.
Vargo’s lawsuit describes the harrowing series of events that led to his near death.
According to Vargo, he heard about the Jan. 6 protest about a week beforehand, and decided to take a bus from Ohio to DC to support Donald Trump.
After Trump’s Jan. 6 speech, Vargo joined other protestors in their march to Capitol Hill.
“People were already on the steps of the Capitol. Vargo saw another person climb up a structure and wave an American flag. Vargo thought to himself, ‘that’s awesome!’” his Jan. 2 lawsuit said.
Vargo then climbed the staircase to wave his Trump flag. Vargo carefully shuffled with his feet along the thin ledge, tightly gripping the banister, making his way towards a secure position away from the police so he could wave his flag, he said.
“Suddenly, and without warning, one of the officers sprayed Vargo in the face with pepper spray,” he said. “Vargo desperately gripped onto the banister for dear life.”
It was at that moment—18 minutes before Congress evacuated chambers—that Vargo realized police didn’t want him there, he said.
Vargo said he attempted to inch his way down the staircase, only to have Williams push him to his near death.
“Suddenly and without warning, Officer Bryant Williams stuck his hand out and intentionally shoved Vargo off the ledge, sending him plummeting 30 feet to the ground. This was an objectively unreasonable use of deadly force, as any reasonable person would have understood that there were many alternatives to deadly force in that situation,” he said.
“For instance, since Vargo was clearly gripping on to the banister for dear life, it was obvious that at that moment he did not pose a threat. The officers could easily have let him descend or grab him and pull him over the banister to safety.”
Vargo, who has not been criminally charged over Jan. 6, said he continues to suffer injuries from that day.
“Vargo was severely injured. Among other things, he severely injured his back and foot. Due to the injuries, he required surgery and other medical treatment,” he said.
“To this day, every night in his sleep he reexperiences the fall and believes it to be real every time. As a result, he wakes up and is constantly deprived of sleep.”
Vargo is representing himself in his lawsuit. He has a GiveSendGo page to support his legal action.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
