Bumbling MAGA rioter busted after boasting of his violent exploits on popular dating app
Andrew Quentin Taake was arrested Friday by the FBI, which has accused him of pepper-spraying officers and striking them with a metal "whip-like device" at the January 6 Capitol riot.
And apparently it was Taake's online dating foray that helped get him in trouble.
Taake, 32, of Houston, was tipped off to the FBI by someone who said they hadn't met him -- but was texting with him about the riot -- on Bumble.
"Witness 1 messaged Taake on a dating app, Bumble, while he was in Washington, D.C.," prosecutors allege. "Although Taake and Witness 1 never met in person, Taake discussed his participation in the riot with Witness 1 and sent Witness 1 several pictures of himself, including a picture of himself taken on January 6, 2021, after he was allegedly pepper sprayed by law enforcement officers. Witness 1 said Taake admitted to being inside the U.S. Capitol for approximately 30 minutes."
According to the report, "Bumble provides users with the location information of other individuals using the application." That apparently helped the FBI place Taake in Alexandria, VA on a motorcycle headed for the Capitol, as well as on a plane flight to or from Houston.
The FBI stated it was able to identify Taake through photographic evidence.
"The FBI also located publicly posted videos and photographs showing Taake at the U.S. Capitol. Several of these images show Taake using what appears to be a metal whip and pepper spray to attack law enforcement officers. "
The report says that as police lined up behind a barricade of bike racks to defend the Capitol, rioters began attacking including Taake, who "raised his arm and pepper sprayed the officers." Taake then retreated back into the crowd of rioters.
Some 45 minutes later, Taake is seen "striking officers with a weapon that appears to be a whip" before similarly retreating to the crowd, according to the report.
The report identifies Taake as the owner of a business called Hi-Flow Houston.
Taake faces felony charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers, as well as variety of obstruction, violent unlawful entry and disorderly conduct charges. You can read the complaint here.