They bragged about storming the Capitol. Now they’re part of the largest investigation in U.S. history

Nearly everyone from Minnesota accused of storming the U.S. Capitol one year ago bragged on social media while still inside or shortly after.

Some live-streamed videos of themselves parading inside the historic hallways and congressional chambers.

Others posted pictures or selfies and described in great detail how they “stormed the line” and “stayed true to being patriots.”

Their digital trails formed the foundation for the largest federal law enforcement investigation in United States history.

Erica MacDonald, who was the sitting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota on January 6th, described it simply as an “ocean of evidence.”

Appointed by then-President Donald Trump, MacDonald said that “85% of the defendants charged, the basis of their case is their own social media and things that they posted.”

MacDonald watched the attack unfold on live television from her office in downtown Minneapolis.

She says much of the day was spent on conference calls with other attorneys general across the country — coordinating the early stages of the investigation that would eventually lead to charges against eight people from Minnesota.

“We knew that these would be individuals that came from afar to participate in this event,” she said.

Brian Mock is accused of assaulting police officers with their own riot shields after traveling from his home in Minneapolis.

Mock, who is acting as his own lawyer, was arrested in June last year. He’s still sitting in a Washington D.C. jail. Late last year, he filed a 43-page hand-written motion begging the judge to dismiss the case.

Mock blames that day on the same officers he’s accused of attacking, writing that they are “directly responsible for instigating, encouraging, perpetuating, and actively directing the unnecessary violence that occurred.”

“This was an attack on our soil, on our democracy, and the very integrity of our institution,” MacDonald said.

Yet, one year later some people still refuse to accept the deadly attack happened at all.

Larvita McFafarquhar traveled to Washington D.C. with a group of friends that day to protest pandemic-related mandates and to support then-President Trump.

She describes the deadly riot as “beautiful” and defends her friend and travel companion, Victoria White, who is charged with storming into the capitol building.

“That’s a lie,” said McFarquhar in a tense interview with 5 INVESTIGATES. “They pulled her into the Capitol.”

Despite an overwhelming amount of video evidence, McFarquhar is among the many who still believe January 6th was largely peaceful.

“Individuals who can’t come to terms with that, well, then they’re gonna have to live with that,” McDonald said. “But the rest of us know what this was.”