Franklin County residents react to Massachusetts woman arrested in Washington, D.C.

SOUTH DEERFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A woman who lived in South Deerfield was arrested on Monday in Washington, D.C. after police say he was threatening to kill some of Trump’s cabinet members.

Riley Jane English, 24, allegedly drove from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., intending to kill top Republicans in the Trump Administration. Some of those officials include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, but English changed her target to recently-confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after reading an internet post about a confirmation hearing, according to police.

The Associated Press reports that English is from South Deerfield.

22News was in Franklin County and some residents commented after hearing English was arrested in Washington, D.C. Monday.

“I think it’s a scary world,” said Todd Cromack of South Hadley. “I think we have some problems coming down the pike.”

“Currently in politics, it seems like there’s a lot of reactions with violence,” added Linda Sharkey of Greenfield. “I just think there are better ways for us to work these things out.”

English was arrested at the Capitol after she told police she had knives and Molotov cocktails in her possession. She also told them she wanted to surrender. She was detained and searched by Capitol police. They say they found a folding knife, two firebombs, and a lighter, as well as materials for making a homemade explosive device in her car.

Police allege her intentions in Washington included burning down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. According to the police report, all this was “specifically to ‘depose’ these political offices and send a message.”

This story previously identified the defendant as Ryan Michael English, the name used in charging documents. In a memo Wednesday, English’s attorney clarified that her client uses the name Riley Jane.