RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 01: A general view is seen of the Olympic rings in the Olympic Park on August 1, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)A troubling report emerged on Tuesday afternoon identifying former Olympic gold medalist Klete Keller as a member of the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol last week.
According to the New York Times, former teammates and coaches confirmed an image of Keller in a video posted by Townhall reporter Julio Rosas. In the footage, Keller, who stands at 6-foot-6, can be seen shoving with Capitol Police who were attempting to disperse the rioters that entered the building. It’s also clear that the former Olympic swimmer was wearing a U.S. Olympic Team jacket in the video.
Keller, who’s since deleted his social media platforms, remained an outspoken supporter of President Trump according to swimming news website SwimSwam. The New York Times attempted to reach the 38-year-old for comment, but was unsuccessful.
After being clearly identified in the federal building, it’s likely that Keller could face extensive criminal charges. As of now, no reports of the swimmer’s arrest have been made.
Trump supporters fought back after Capitol Police moved in to retake the Rotunda. pic.twitter.com/4e7mNyqWZy
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 6, 2021
An Olympic gold medalist, the swimmer Klete Keller, was part of the pro-Trump mob that sieged the Capitol, former teammates and coaches who identified him said. If confirmed by the authorities, he may face federal charges. https://t.co/srEIG09vRP
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 12, 2021
Keller burst onto the scene in the early 2000s as a talented mid-distance freestyler. He won two gold medals as a part of the 4×200 freestyle relay at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and again in 2008 at the Beijing Games. Keller also earned a silver medal for his performance in the same relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In the years since he’s retired from swimming, he’s worked as a real estate agent per the New York Times.
Many sports personalities denounced last week’s events at the Capitol for its frightening criminal nature. Lakers star LeBron James was among those that pointed out the stark contrast between the law enforcement response to Wednesday’s insurrection and protests that occurred over the summer in response to the police shootings of Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and others.
“DO YOU 🤬🤬🤬🤬 UNDERSTAND NOW???!! I know the answer to that. You still don’t cause no matter what happens you still won’t be judge, looked at crazy, chained, beaten, hung, shot to death cause of the color of your skin!!!!” James said in the statement on Instagram. “2 AMERIKKKAS we live in and it was at FULL CAPACITY LIVE IN DIRECT yesterday in our Nations CAPITAL AT THE CAPITAL!!”
Stay tuned for additional information regarding the investigation into Keller’s involvement in last week’s riot.
