RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC/AP) — The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officer who died from injuries sustained during Wednesday’s riot was a Virginia Resident, according to Gov. Ralph Northam’s office.
Brian D. Sicknick, 42, was a military veteran and a resident of Northern Virginia. Northam’s office said he served with the USCP for 12 years.
The officer’s family released a statement Friday saying Sicknick wanted to be a police officer his entire life.
“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.
According to USCP, Officer Sicknick was injured while responding to the riots on Wednesday, Jan. 6. The Associated Press reported that two law enforcement officials told them Officer Sicknick was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher “while physically engaging with protesters.” The officials said they could not discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
The department said Officer Sicknick was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 7.
“Officer Sicknick was killed while doing his job—defending those trapped in the Capitol building amid a violent attack on our democracy,” Northam said in a statement Friday. “His death is a tragedy, and those responsible must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
USCP said Officer Sicknick’s death will be investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch the USCP, and its federal partners.
“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,” USCP said in a statement.
Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) also issued a statement following the death of Sicknick:
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Officer Sicknick. My heart goes out to Brian’s family, friends, and fellow officers at this terrible and tragic loss. Brian died as a result of injuries sustained while defending our government, our Capitol, and our Constitution.
“Officer Sicknick was killed during an attack against the very symbol of our Republic and democratic system of government. His service to our nation, to the Members of Congress, staff, reporters, and fellow officers he protected that day, is immeasurable.
“The people who perpetrated these acts that resulted in the death of Officer Sicknick must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. What happened on Wednesday in our nation’s Capital is a blemish on this nation and I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the acts of violence and destruction that occurred at the Capitol building. We may disagree on policy and who we support for President, but this country is built on law and order. We must continue to stand for the great American tradition of peaceful disagreement and debate rather than anarchy and violence.
“My prayers go out to Brian’s family, friends, loved ones, and his fellow USCP officers who put their lives on the line every day in defense of our Republic and seat of government, and in service to our nation.”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.