Iced Earth’s Jon Schaffer Surrenders To FBI, Faces 6 Charges For Role In Capitol Riot

Jon Schaffer, guitarist and founder of metal band Iced Earth, was arrested Sunday in Indiana and is facing multiple charges for his participation in the deadly Capitol riot on Jan. 6.

Schaffer turned himself in to the FBI on Sunday afternoon, the Indianapolis Star reported. The Indiana native faces six charges for his participation in the siege of the Capitol, including engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, according to Indianapolis FBI spokeswoman Chris Bavender.

The spokeswoman further said that Schaffer was “allegedly with a group of rioters who used bear spray against Capitol police.”

Other charges the musician is facing include knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and knowingly engaging in an act of physical violence against any person or property in any restricted building or grounds, Wish TV reported.

On Jan. 6, a crowd motivated by false allegations of a "stolen" election charged into the Capitol to stop lawmakers from confirming the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The chaos and violence led to the death of five, including a police officer.

Following the attack, a picture of Schaffer appeared on an FBI poster seeking identification help with the label Photograph #25. The musician was photographed with a “bear spray” in hand and arguing with Capitol police inside the building.

The picture showed Schaffer in an Oath Keepers baseball cap that says: “Oath Keepers Lifetime Member.” The group describes itself as a militia of former law enforcement and military personnel.

Schaffer has attended Trump rallies and even spread conspiracy theories, the Indianapolis Star noted.

While Schaffer has not made any public comments, four of his Iced Earth bandmates, Luke Appleton, Stu Block, Brent Smedley and Jake Dreyer, earlier put out a statement on Facebook and Instagram condemning the insurrection.

"We absolutely DO NOT condone nor do we support riots or the acts of violence that the rioters were involved in on January 6th at the US Capitol building," they said in the statement posted on Jan. 9. "We hope that all those involved that day are brought to justice to be investigated and answer for their actions."