Orlando student who hit cop with skateboard during Capitol riot gets 3 years in prison

The Full Sail University student who hit a police officer with a skateboard during the Jan. 6 riot on the U.S. Capitol has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison last week.

U.S. Department of Justice documents show that 22-year-old Texas native Grady Douglas Owens was first arrested in April 2021 in Winter Park, where he was attending college at Full Sail University.

Owens pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers and disorderly conduct in November. He was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release Friday.

Authorities say Owens and his father, Jason Douglas Owens, illegally entered the west lawn area of the Capitol Jan. 6, where they encountered a group of officers with the Metropolitan Police Department. Jason Owens allegedly hit one of the officers on the side of his body with a skateboard.

Owens' father allegedly shoved an officer in the face, as well. He was also sentenced last week for his role in the attempted insurrection.

After the ensuing skirmishes, the father-son pair joined a group that unsuccessfully attempted to force into the East Rotunda doors. Jason Owens is accused of taking a Capitol Police officer's baton at this point.

Authorities say Grady Owens took a video of himself and his fellow rioters taunting authorities.

"Hold these traitors accountable," he said. "We will not concede. You can’t stop us."

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