User:Horsense/sandbox/BSaffair
American police officer (1978–2021) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alive: July 7 2023; Oct 26; 26 Apr/24.
Brian Sicknick | |
---|---|
Born | Brian David Sicknick (1978-07-30)July 30, 1978 |
Died | January 7, 2021(2021-01-07) (aged 42) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
Alma mater | University of Phoenix (B.S.), 2013 |
Known for | Being reportedly 'killed by a mob' while defending the United States Capitol |
Police career | |
Department | United States Capitol Police |
Service years | 2008–2021 |
Military career | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 1997–2003 |
Rank | Staff sergeant |
Battles/wars | |
Earlier version B: Sept. 2021/// The death of a United States Capitol Police officer was a pivotal element in the aftermath of the unprecedented U.S. Capitol riot of January 6, 2021. Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who had been on duty and engaged during the riot, died the next day,[1] but it was three months later that his death was officially explained as due to "natural" causes.[2][3][4][5][6][7] This was "at odds"[8] with the original announcement of his death, made by the Capitol Police.[9] The announcement linked the death, without details, to the violence of the day before and stated that a homicide investigation was under way.[10] Comments, news reports, and social media immediately followed suit with a level of "mixed accuracy" that has been interpreted by some as a "false narrative"[3] that deliberately exaggerated the violence of the riot for political purposes.[11][3][lower-alpha 1]
In the belief that Sicknick had "suffered fatal injuries while defending the U.S. Capitol against a pro-Trump mob", he would receive "special honors" for his "ultimate sacrifice".[15] On February 2, 2021, he became the fifth private citizen to be so honored,[4] at the Capitol, with "a sacred tribute that's typically reserved for dead American political leaders."[16] While Officer Sicknick's ashes lay in the Capitol rotunda, the U.S. House of Representatives were invoking Sicknick's "killing" in its impeachment proceedings against President Trump.[17]
At the same time, uncertainties about the cause of his death were beginning to be reported.[16][6] Potential homicide charges were eventually rendered unlikely in light of the medical examiner's official statements in mid-April that Sicknick had died of a stroke.[lower-alpha 2] The autopsy report, with the medical examiner's findings from before the cremation of the body, has not been released to the public.
A native of South River, New Jersey, Sicknick served in the New Jersey Air National Guard from 1997 through 2003. He was deployed to Operation Southern Watch in 1999 and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003. Sicknick later moved to Springfield, Virginia, and joined the Capitol Police in 2008.