Capitol Police: Sicknick still died in line of duty
Medical examiner says that strokes caused his death
WASHINGTON – U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died of strokes a day after the Jan. 6 insurrection, the D.C. medical examiner ruled Monday.
The chief medical examiner, Francisco Diaz, attributed the death to natural causes rather than a homicide committed by another person. Diaz found that Sicknick, 42, died of “acute brainstem and cerebellar infarcts due to acute basilar artery thrombosis.”
Diaz released a timeline showing Sicknick was sprayed with bear spray about 2:20 p.m. on Jan. 6, collapsed about 10 p.m. and then died at a hospital about 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 7.
The cause of Sicknick’s death was of great interest to legal authorities and lawmakers, as he was one of five people associated with the riot who died.
Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman had said Sicknick died in the line of duty.
Capitol Police announced Jan. 7 – the day after the riot – that Sicknick responded to the attack and “was injured while physically engaging with protesters.”
Sicknick was standing guard with other officers behind metal bicycle racks as the mob descended on the Capitol.
“He returned to his division office and collapsed,” the statement said. “He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.”
U.S. Capitol Police said that the agency accepted the medical examiner’s findings but that the ruling didn’t change the fact that Sicknick had died in the line of duty, “courageously defending Congress and the Capitol.”
“The attack on our officers, including Brian, was an attack on our democracy,” police officials said in a statement. “The United States Capitol Police will never forget Officer Sicknick’s bravery, nor the bravery of any officer on January 6, who risked their lives to defend our democracy.”
About 140 officers were injured during the riot, suffering head and back injuries, gouged eyes and severed fingers. Security video played at the Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump showed officers beaten, trampled and at least one crushed in a door.
Two men have been charged with assaulting Sicknick by allegedly spraying him with a chemical, but are not charged in his death. Julian Elie Khater, 32, of State College, Pennsylvania, and George Pierre Tanios, 39, of Morgantown, West Virginia, were each charged with nine counts, including three counts of assaulting an officer of the United States with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to injure an officer and physical violence on restricted grounds.
Lawyers for the two men had no immediate comment.
Each assault charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Four others died the day of the riot, one after being shot by police, two of natural causes and one of an accidental drug overdose.
Contributing:associated Press