Federal prosecutors walk back sensational allegation of plot to kill lawmakers during Capitol siege

The acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin announced on Friday that there is no "direct evidence" indicating that the crowd of people who breached the Capitol on Jan. 6 had any intention of killing or kidnapping members of Congress. 

He told reporters, "We don't have any direct evidence of kill-capture teams," which seemed to contradict federal prosecutors in Arizona who had alleged on Thursday in a court filing that there was evidence rioters wanted "to capture and assassinate elected officials."

Reuters reported that Sherwin was attempting to "walk back" the claims filed in Arizona, which were about Jacob Chansey, the so-called "Qanon shaman" who was shirtless and wearing horns in the Senate chamber. He allegedly left a note saying, "it's only a matter of time, justice is coming."

Sherwin said that his office in D.C. is taking the lead on prosecuting crimes related to the breach of the Capitol, adding that there may have been a "disconnect" with other offices on some of the evidence. 

"The cases are all being charged here in D.C., and with our law enforcement partners, and what makes this case in particular unprecedented and unusual and extremely complex is the fact that, after the event, obviously thousands of people went back to their home districts," said Sherwin. "And that has complicated things."