Cardinals super fan known as Rally Runner sentenced for participating in January 6 Capitol riot

WASHINGTON – A St. Louis Cardinals super fan who legally changed his name to “Rally Runner” appeared in federal court on Thursday to be sentenced for his actions while participating in the U.S. Capitol riot and breach on January 6, 2021.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said Rally Runner, formerly known as Daniel Donnelly Jr., 44, was part of a mob that disrupted a joint session of Congress to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Runner was arrested in St. Louis on Aug. 2, 2023. He previously pleaded guilty on March 22, 2024, to one count of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.

Runner is known across St. Louis for running around Busch Stadium during Cardinals games dressed in red clothes and face paint.

Prosecutors said Runner traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend former President Donald Trump’s speech and rally at the Ellipse. After the rally ended, Runner and many others walked to the U.S. Capitol and the Lower West Terrace Tunnel.

Runner, wearing a red jacket, a red “Keep America Great” hat, and red face paint, assisted rioters at the tunnel by passing a ladder toward the tunnel opening. Runner faced off with Capitol police while holding a riot shield that he’d taken earlier. Runner formed a human wall with other shield-wielding rioters to rebuff law enforcement officers’ efforts to clear the area.

Runner used his riot shield to push officers back and he and others eventually entered the Capitol building. More police officers joined the fray after 10 minutes and successfully drove Runner and other rioters out of the tunnel.

Later that day, Runner posted a video on his Facebook page in which he admitted to being at the U.S. Capitol.

“I get a riot shield, and I’m not trying to cause any violence, but I’m trying to be the furthest person to get through all the way, or at least get the furthest,” he said.

“…I took up a lot of space, and I had the rioter shield, and I was right up there, and for some reason, like, the other people up there on the front lines with me, they did something similar… It’s like they followed my lead, kind of.”

A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Runner to 10 months in federal prison, 24 months of supervised release, and to pay $3,000 in restitution.

In the 43 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 1,500 individuals have been charged for crimes related to the riot and breach, including nearly 550 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

The investigation into the riot is still ongoing and federal prosecutors and investigators are still taking tips at 1-800-CALL-FBI and tips.fbi.gov .

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