A police officer getting dragged through a door during the Capitol siege that occurred on Wed., Jan. 6, 2020. Screen grab from YouTube.
The US Capitol Police announced the death of one of its officers who sustained injuries during Wednesday’s Capitol siege, according to a USCP press release. The bloody engagements injured more than 50 officers from the USCP and the Metropolitan Police Department before the rioters dispersed Wednesday night.
The USCP identified the fallen officer as Officer Brian D. Sicknick. He became injured while involved in physical altercations during the riot, though the press release does not specify in what manner.
Stunning >> MULTITUDE of officers line the front of the Capitol in silence, honoring fallen US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick… Rest In Peace#breaking @WUSA9 @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/swKVbSKcQe
— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) January 8, 2021
Officer Sicknick went back to his division office after sustaining his injuries and collapsed at some point after getting there. Sicknick was transported to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at approximately 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
“The entire USCP Department expresses its deepest sympathies to Officer Sicknick’s family and friends on their loss, and mourns the loss of a friend and colleague.”
Officer Sicknick joined the USCP in July 2008, and his last assignment was with USCP’s First Responders Unit. The death of Officer Sicknick is under investigation by the MPD’s Homicide Branch, the USCP, and other unspecified federal partners. CNN said that prosecutors from the US Attorney’s Office plan to open a federal murder investigation into Officer Sicknick’s death.
According to the 108th Wing in the New Jersey Air National Guard, Sicknick was a former staff sergeant in the New Jersey Air National Guard. He served as a Fire Team Member and Leader at the 108th Security Force Squadron, 108th Wing. Sicknick had multiple deployments overseas.
“We are saddened by the loss of one of our former New Jersey National Guard Citizen-Airmen, Staff Sgt. Brian D. Sicknick,” stated the 108th Wing Facebook post. “Our condolences and thoughts are with his family, friends and those who worked with him during his law enforcement career.”
Joshua Skovlund is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die. He covered the 75th anniversary of D-Day in France, multinational military exercises in Germany, and civil unrest during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis. Born and raised in small-town South Dakota, he grew up playing football and soccer before serving as a forward observer in the US Army. After leaving the service, he worked as a personal trainer while earning his paramedic license. After five years as in paramedicine, he transitioned to a career in multimedia journalism. Joshua is married with two children.
