‘Walis tambo’ Capitol rioter Kene Brian Lazo is arrested
The ‘walis tambo’ brandishing rioter who was at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C, on Jan. 6, 2021 has been identified as Kene Brian Lazo, a Filipino from Norfolk, Virginia, the FBI announced on May 26.
Lazo is facing four federal crimes: “Knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds or in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building,” according to the criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The case is assigned to Judge Zia Faruqui.
An FBI special agent assigned to the Counterterrorism Division stated that after the events of January 6, the FBI received numerous tips from the public about the individuals who “unlawfully entered” the Capitol.
“I was assigned to investigate a tip that identified a Facebook user with an account named ‘Fam Council’ as someone who unlawfully entered the Capitol,” he writes in his arrest warrant statement of facts. The agent found a screen shot of a picture that looked like Lazo’s outfit. He was wearing a Rodbustars helmet, and his face was covered in goggles and a face mask. That image is similar to the much-publicized photo of an individual carrying a Philippine-type broom with a Captain America replica shield at the tip of the broom handle. The Fam Council account was traced to Lazo and his wife Jen Lazo. Both are believed to be the Fam Council account holders, and Rodbustars LLC is the name of their building construction and repair business, according to reports.
In a conversation posted on the account, Lazo tells a person believed to be a relative: “all is good uncle..i will be going (sic) ro Washington DC to protest on jan6.” He later posted after the riot that “I took a boi boi to the Capitol and swept the floor literally…” The agent believed ‘boi boi’ was a reference to the ‘walis tambo’ broom.
He likewise posted on Facebook several photos of himself wearing his Superman costume using the American flag as his cape, as if to say he will be wearing such attire during the rally.
Lazo was arrested May 28 at his house on Herbert Street. He is one of more than 500 individuals who have been charged for their participation in the riot at the Capitol during a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 election of Joe Biden. Then Vice President Mike Pence was presiding when at around 2 p.m. a mob of Donald Trump supporters forced their way into the building, overwhelming security and ransacking the legislators’ offices. Many of them, including Lazo, arrogantly posted pictures of their participation during the attack.
