The U.S. Capitol Police officer who died from injuries sustained in the riot on Wednesday wanted to be a police officer his entire life, his family said.
Brian Sicknick, who joined the Capitol Police in 2008, was injured “while physically engaging with protesters” Wednesday and returned to his division office, where he collapsed, Capitol Police said in a statement. He was taken to a hospital, where he died about 9:30 p.m. Thursday. He was 42.
He is the fifth person to die in the violent protests.
The New York Times and The Associated Press, citing two law enforcement officials, reported that Sicknick was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher during the melee at the Capitol.
His death will be investigated by Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington and federal agencies, the Capitol Police statement said.
Sicknick was born in South River, New Jersey, and was the youngest of four boys, his family said in a statement Friday.
His family said he always wanted to be a police officer and “joined the New Jersey Air National Guard as a means to that end.”
The N.J. National Guard said Sicknick enlisted in 1997.
“In doing so, he served his country honorably in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Desert Shield,” his family said.
The family declined a request for an interview Friday and referred NBC News to their statement.
“Many details regarding Wednesday’s events and the direct causes of Brian’s injuries remain unknown, and our family asks the public and the press to respect our wishes in not making Brian’s passing a political issue,” the family said. “Brian is a hero and that is what we would like people to remember.”
President Donald Trump urged protesters at a rally near the White House on Wednesday to head to Capitol Hill, where lawmakers were scheduled to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s presidential victory.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat who is the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, which opened a review into the law enforcement response to the Capitol riot, expressed sorrow in a Twitter post, saying her “heart breaks” over Sicknick’s “senseless death.”
“To honor his memory, we must ensure that the mob who attacked the People’s House and those who instigated them are held accountable,” she said.
Mosheh Gains contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
