Capitol siege suspect identified as Jennifer Inzuza Vargas. (Images: FBI)
A man says a Capitol rioter wearing a pink beret was an ex-girlfriend he dumped for reading the Hitler manifesto Mein Kampf, and he identified her to the FBI when a friend pointed out a viral picture that the agency shared on Twitter.
“I stopped dead in my tracks,” the man, who asked NBC News to withhold his name in order to avoid threats and harassment, told the outlet. “I’m like, ‘That’s Jenny.””
“Jenny” is Jennifer Inzuza Vargas, a law enforcement official confirmed Friday, according to NBC. No charges were announced, but the FBI’s Washington Field Office previously released pictures seeking a woman “who allegedly participated in the U.S. Capitol riots on January 6, 2021.”
#FBIWFO released photos of this woman who allegedly participated in the U.S. Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. If you recognize her, call 1-800-225-5324 or visit https://t.co/t8G7LO4hxu to submit a tip. Refer to photo 537 in your tip. pic.twitter.com/cJ9oYfSxxu
— FBI Washington Field (@FBIWFO) April 27, 2023
Online sleuths said “#PinkBeret” stole a black camera duffle, roamed through the Capitol grounds, directed traffic outside Capitol doors, and handed out small water bottles to rioters in the Capitol Crypt. In other words, she allegedly wasn’t just there, but she was an active participate in the chaos when supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capital on Jan. 6, 2021 to stop Congress from certifying the victory of 2020 presidential election winner Joe Biden.
The ex-boyfriend described the relationship starting positive at first, saying they hit it off “really well,” in late 2018. Then Vargas flew to Los Angeles in early 2019.
“We weren’t, like, trying to get married or anything,” he said. “We were hooking up for a few months.”
The situation changed, however, when Vargas posted on his Discord that she was reading the Hitler manifesto Mein Kampf, he said.
They talked about it, revealing more of Vargas’ far-right politics.
“I was just instantly turned off, like, ‘Yo, I don’t think this is going to work out,’” he said. “You’re, like, reading ‘Mein Kampf,’ you think immigrants don’t deserve X, Y, Z.”
The outlet said they viewed a social media account linked to Vargas, and that this did make references to Hitler.
The former couple did keep in touch, with Vargas allegedly writing that she was only in D.C. the day of the siege to support Trump, according to the ex-boyfriend.
“Not to partake in that riot,” she allegedly wrote. “I support the police.”
But the ex-boyfriend, a clothing designer, said he was at a location for Joann Fabric and Crafts when a friend pointed out the FBI tweet featuring the woman in the pink beret. He said he sent a tip to the FBI and that an official called him on Monday confirming they were investigating Vargas.
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