WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. has pinpointed an assailant in its investigation into the loss of life of Brian D. Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who w
WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. has pinpointed an assailant in its investigation into the loss of life of Brian D. Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who was injured whereas keeping off the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol final month and later died, in keeping with two regulation enforcement officers briefed on the inquiry.
The F.B.I. opened a murder investigation into Officer Sicknick’s loss of life quickly after the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. Investigators initially struggled to find out what had occurred as he fought assailants. They quickly started to suspect his loss of life was associated to an irritant, like mace or bear spray, that he had inhaled through the riot. Each officers and rioters had been armed with such irritants through the assault.
In a major breakthrough within the case, investigators have now pinpointed an individual seen on video of the riot who attacked a number of officers with bear spray, together with Officer Sicknick, in keeping with the officers. And video proof reveals that the assailant mentioned attacking officers with the bear spray beforehand, one of many officers stated.
Whereas investigators narrowed potential suspects seen in video footage to a single individual this week, they’ve but to establish the assailant by title.
A Justice Division spokesman declined to remark.
Given the proof obtainable to investigators, prosecutors may very well be extra more likely to carry prices of assaulting an officer, somewhat than homicide, within the case. However the loss of life of Officer Sicknick, a 42-year-old Air Nationwide Guard veteran who served in Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan, may enhance the penalties that prosecutors may search in the event that they took such a case to courtroom.
Irritants like bear spray, pepper spray and mace are thought of to be nonlethal crowd management deterrents, however they will trigger bodily reactions that might create dangers for individuals with underlying well being situations and disorientation that might result in harm.
Moreover Officer Sicknick, two different officers who tried to defend the Capitol later died, each by suicide, in keeping with the native police. At the least 138 officers suffered accidents starting from bruises and fractures to concussions, burns and even a light coronary heart assault, rating it among the many worst days for regulation enforcement accidents for the reason that Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist assaults.
Within the hours after Officer Sicknick was rushed to the hospital, officers initially stated that he had been struck with a hearth extinguisher. They later stated that there was no proof to assist that he had died from any blunt pressure trauma. Extra just lately, F.B.I. officers homed in on the potential position of an irritant as a major think about his loss of life.
The Justice Division on Friday additionally indicted six members of the far-right nationalist group the Proud Boys with conspiracy to impede the certification of President Biden’s electoral victory and to assault regulation enforcement. The suspects, who had already been charged by prison criticism, had been additionally accused of threatening a federal officer and coming into the Capitol carrying a lethal or harmful weapon, together with a wood ax deal with.
Federal prosecutors stated that Louis Enrique Colon of Missouri, Felicia and Cory Konold, a pair from Arizona, and William Chrestman, Christopher Kuehne and Ryan Ashlock of Kansas had been a part of a gaggle of Proud Boys who traveled to Washington with a purpose to “cease, delay, and hinder the congressional continuing” on Jan. 6.
They did so after Enrique Tarrio, the self-described nationwide chairman of the Proud Boys, recognized within the indictment as Particular person One, stated on social media that members ought to “end up in file numbers” and “unfold throughout downtown DC in smaller groups.”
The division stated that the group coordinated their journey to Washington and stayed collectively in an Airbnb rental close to town. They introduced and wore matching uniforms and carried paramilitary gear and provides — together with camouflaged fight uniforms, tactical vests with plates, helmets, eye safety and radio tools — into the Capitol, in keeping with the indictment.
Prosecutors accused the group of working collectively to pressure their means by a line of Capitol Police and thru the boundaries across the constructing. As soon as inside, they traveled as a gaggle by the constructing, the division stated.
Earlier than coming into, a few of them, exhorted the big crowd to behave. “Whose home is that this?” Mr. Chrestman referred to as. The gang responded, “Our home!” When the group yelled to Mr. Chrestman that they wished their home again, Mr. Chrestman shouted, “Take it!”
He additionally threatened an officer who was making ready to file nonlethal munitions into the group, prosecutors stated.