- Kirstyn Niemela was one of two New England women arrested this week for their alleged roles in the Capitol riot.
- The arrests came after the FBI got a tip from a former friend who said Niemela showed off a video of herself breaking a window during the riot.
- Niemela faces several charges, including disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.
Two New England women were arrested this week in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot — including one whose former friend told the FBI that the suspect showed off a video of herself breaking a window during the insurrection, authorities said.
Kirstyn Niemela of New Hampshire and Stefanie Chiguer of Massachusetts were apprehended by the FBI's Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI said on Tuesday.
According to prosecutors, both women were captured on security camera video footage inside of the Capitol building on the day of the insurrection.
The pair were arrested after the FBI received a tip from a former friend of Niemela's in June who told investigators that Niemela admitted she was in Washington DC on January 6, 2021, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.
Niemela showed the pal a video of her breaking a window in the Capitol building and said that she was a member of the far-right Proud Boys group, the friend told the FBI, the complaint says.
The tipster also told investigators that Niemela claimed "there is something big coming…[that] the whole nation will watch it happen" and posted to her Facebook page to "grab your popcorn ... it's coming," according to the complaint.
The friend — who told the FBI they "distanced themselves from Niemela because of her rhetoric" — also said that Niemela "carries [an] illegal handgun with her at all times."
The tipster told FBI agents that both Niemela and her "girlfriend" participated in the Capitol riot and explained that the "girlfriend" Niemela referenced was Chiguer, the court papers say.
Niemela was also identified by a family member, who pointed the FBI to a CNN video that showed Niemela inside the Capitol building.
They face several charges including disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.
It was not immediately clear whether Niemela and Chiguer had retained attorneys.