A look at how Fort Worth PD analysts helped FBI track down Garland Capitol riot suspect
GARLAND, Texas - The Department of Justice is receiving assistance from local law enforcement to identify those who took part in the Capitol riot.
Because there are all sorts of images from the riots on social media, it’s making things a bit easier for investigators.
Garland’s Daniel Phipps was arrested by the FBI Tuesday for reported crimes at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
And Fort Worth Police Department’s Intelligence Exchange is responsible for tracking him down.
"On this case, it was right in front of their face," Jeff Keck explained.
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Fort Worth PD Lieutenant Jeff Keck is the director of the Intelligence Exchange. It’s known as a Fusion Center, and it’s one of 80 across the country that collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement.
Fort Worth’s started in 2019.
"Can we stop the next mass shooter? Can we prevent the next terrorist attack?" Keck said.
In many cases, they’re looking for footprints people leave online every day.
"Well, there’s more information on the average person on the internet, that’s completely open to anybody, than you can imagine," Keck added.
The FBI asked Fusion Centers to help in the search for riot suspect, and an analyst in Fort Worth found one.
It started with a Facebook post of a man advertising that there were still spots available on the bus to go to Washington D.C.
Phipps’ account responded, "Yes! I need in on this!"
From there, investigators found Phipps’ account, and saw that he later posted a photo that appeared to be from inside the Capitol.
"And from that Facebook, they were able to identify who he was and share that information with the FBI," Keck said.
The officers with Fort Worth PD’s Intelligence Exchange do much more than search the internet.
FOX 4 got an inside look at the real-time crime center, which uses 300 cameras from across the region.
On Wednesday, one of those cameras spotted a car speeding through an intersection in an attempt to escape an officer. The cameras can zoom in for a better description of the vehicle.
But as the FBI continues to ask for local assistance related to the Capitol riot, Fusion Centers across the country know there are still faces in the crowd who they’re trying to locate.
"The motivation behind it is just as important as why someone did something," Keck said.
Dallas County and Collin County also have Fusion Centers. There are eight in the state of Texas.