The death is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, the US Capitol Police and their federal partners.
“Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the US Capitol and was injured while physically interacting with the protesters. He returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where he died. The wounded.”
Sicknick joined the Capitol Police in July 2008, and most recently served in the department’s First Responders Unit.
“The entire USCP Department expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Officer Sicknick for their loss, and mourns the loss of a friend and colleague,” Capitol Police said.
And Sknik is the fifth person to die as a result of Wednesday’s rebellion. A woman was shot and killed by the Capitol Police when a crowd stormed the building and three others suffered medical emergencies resulting in death.
Shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday EST, hundreds of pro-Trump protesters pushed through the roadblocks set up along the perimeter of the Capitol Building, where they clashed with officers in full riot gear, and some described the officers as “traitors” for doing their job.
After about 90 minutes, police said protesters entered the building and closed the House and Senate doors. Soon after, the police cleared the house. Vice President Mike Pence was also evacuated from the room, where he was to play his role in the electoral vote count.
An armed confrontation occurred at the front door of the house at around 3 PM EST, and police officers pointed their weapons at someone who was trying to penetrate them.
As a result of the accident, Capitol Police Chief Stephen Sound resigned. He said in a statement earlier Thursday that Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers had “been actively attacked” with metal tubes and other weapons.
“They are determined to enter the Capitol building, causing massive damage,” Sund said.
He added that “the violent attack on the Capitol was not like any attack I had ever witnessed during my thirty years in law enforcement here in Washington, DC.” “Maintaining public safety in an open environment – especially for First Amendment activities – has been a challenge for a long time.”
However, lawmakers say they are confused about the lack of preparedness among law enforcement given that it has been known for weeks that Trump has been promoting a demonstration he said was aimed at preventing Biden’s win from being ratified.
Rep. Mike Quigley, a Democrat from Illinois who was locked in the House Chamber during an armed confrontation between Capitol Police and a rioter, praised the officers who were in the building who put their lives on the line, but made it clear that they were fewer in number and that law enforcement was in the making.
“The Capitol Police I’ve been around have done a fantastic job under the tough conditions,” Quigley told CNN. “My concern wasn’t about how brave the Capitol Police were. It was an hour before the discussion started, I looked at the crowds of people surrounding different sections of the Capitol and said, ‘We don’t have enough security.'”
Quigley added: “I am not an expert in security, but you can say that we were out of service within an hour before the debate,” referring to Congressional procedures to ratify Biden’s victory.
Natalie Sinclair is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Her work highlights timely developments, relevant stories, and practical insights in a professional and reader-friendly manner.