Two supporters of Donald Trump who invaded the United States Congress on January 6 were accused of assaulting a police officer who later died, according to the Department of Justice on Monday.
Constable Brian Sicknick died of injuries sustained in the attack, but the causes of his death have yet to be confirmed – more than two months after the incident. Without a specific cause of death, the case cannot be considered a homicide, although documents gathered by prosecution lawyers say the evidence for an attack on Sicknick is clear.
The Justice Department reported that two men, aged 32 to 39, had been arrested and charged with committing nine crimes, including civil unrest, obstruction of parliamentary process and assault with a chemical – apparently a spray used to defend against bears. They can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
The Washington Post newspaper claims the two men are Julian Elie Khater, 32, from Pennsylvania, and George Pierre Tanios, 39, from West Virginia. The inmates, who grew up together in New Jersey, are due in federal court on Monday.
According to court documents, videos show one of the men “with a can in his right hand pointing at the police.” Three officers, including Sicknick, “responded by getting sprayed on their faces.” “The cops left, putting their hands to their faces and fetching water to wash their eyes.”
Sicknick, 42, returned to his base, where he passed out and was taken to hospital. There he ended up dying the next day. The medical team that helped him had to resuscitate him twice on the way to the Washington hospital. Five people died in the Capitol invasion as the Senate prepared to win Chancellor Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in the November election. A bureaucratic rite, since the Democrat was already recognized as the winner of the 2020 presidential elections.
Sicknick’s first major job as a member of the Capitol Police Department was the inauguration of then-US President-elect Barack Obama in 2009. He had just assumed the post, still in office. late 2008, fulfilling a dream, according to his father, Charles Sicknick, to the Reuters news agency.
The youngest of Charles’ three children and born in New Jersey, the agent was a supporter of current U.S. President Donald Trump, Charles said. Although the parents avoided dealing with political matters with their son, the family said the officer’s position never interfered with his duty to protect and serve.
“He got along well with everyone because he was a gentleman,” Charles said. Prior to joining the Capitol Police, Sicknick was in the United States Air Force and served in Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan.
Investigators concluded that Sicknick did not die of trauma, the Washington Post reported on Monday. Trump was accused by the Democratic House of Representatives of instigating his supporters to attack the Capitol, but was acquitted by the Senate, where two-thirds of the House votes were needed to approve the impeachment of the former president.
Five people died during the invasion of the United States Congress by Trump supporters. In addition to the policeman, a protester was killed inside the Congress building after being shot by a Capitol Police officer and three other deaths (two men and a woman) were recorded near Congress. Police said the deaths were the result of “medical emergencies.”