Brian Sicknick

On January 7, 2021, a United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer, Brian Sicknick, died after suffering two strokes the day after he responded to an.

The District of Columbia chief medical examiner found that Sicknick had died from stroke, classifying his death as natural and additionally commented that "all that transpired played a role in his condition", Multiple sources a decision which was criticized by some expert neurologists, who have stated that stress from the attack may have very well caused the stroke.

His cremated remains were laid in honor in the Capitol Rotunda on February 2, 2021, before they were buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Multiple media outlets reported Sicknick's death was due to injuries he sustained, but months later the Washington, D.C. medical examiner reported there were no injuries to Sicknick.

Within a day after his death, the U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Justice Department each said that his death was due to injuries from the attack.

Meanwhile, media, citing two anonymous law enforcement officials, incorrectly reported for weeks that Sicknick had died after being struck in the head with a fire extinguisher during the unrest.

Sicknick's death was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch, the USCP, and the FBI.

On March 14, Julian Khater and George Tanios were arrested for assaulting Sicknick with a chemical spray and for other charges.

The medical examiner found no evidence that Sicknick had an allergic reaction to the chemical spray.

Prosecutors later said on April 27 that the chemical spray was pepper spray.

On January 28, 2023, Khater was sentenced to almost seven years in prison for assaulting an officer with a chemical irritant.

Brian David Sicknick (July 30, 1978 – January 7, 2021) was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to Gladys and Charles Sicknick.

He grew up in South River, New Jersey, as the youngest of three sons.

Sicknick attended East Brunswick Technical High School to study electronics but later aspired to become a police officer.

He graduated from the high school in 1997.

After struggling to find a job as a police officer, Sicknick joined the New Jersey Air National Guard in 1997, toward that end.

In 1998, he wrote a letter to Home News Tribune, his local newspaper, expressing his skepticism towards America's soft stance against Saddam Hussein.

He was deployed to Saudi Arabia to support Operation Southern Watch in 1999, and to Kyrgyzstan to support Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003.

Sicknick later criticized U.S. motivations for the War in Afghanistan and the government's strategy in the Iraq War.

In 2003, he wrote again to Home News Tribune, noting a decline in morale among troops.

He was honorably discharged in that same year as a staff sergeant.

Sicknick also worked as a school custodian in Cranbury, New Jersey.

He later moved to Springfield, Virginia, and joined the United States Capitol Police in July 2008.

One of his first assignments occurred during the first inauguration of Barack Obama.

He served on the 108th Wing at Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, as a fire team member and leader with the security force squadron.

On December 31, 2013, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree from the University of Phoenix.

Sicknick was an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election, but those who had met him "said his political views did not align neatly with one political party": he opposed Trump's impeachment, supported gun control, opposed animal cruelty and was concerned about the national debt.

He was remembered by Caroline Behringer, a staffer for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for comforting her as she returned to work at the Capitol following Trump's 2016 victory.

During the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Sicknick was on duty with the Capitol Police outside the Capitol's west side, on the front line facing protesters.

At 2:23 p.m., rioters attempted to breach the police line formed by barricades of bicycle racks.

Sicknick and some other officers there were pepper sprayed and became unable to perform their duties for about 20 minutes.

Sicknick retreated, bent over, and used water to wash out his face.

Within five minutes of the pepper spray attack, rioters breached the police line and seized control of the west side of the building.

There was no evidence that Sicknick had any injuries or an allergic reaction to the chemical spray, according to a statement by the medical examiner months later.

Sicknick texted his brother on Wednesday night after the attack, reporting that he had been twice attacked with pepper spray and was in good shape.

However, Sicknick later collapsed around 10 p.m. at the Capitol and was taken to a local hospital.

After being in the hospital for almost a day, Sicknick died around 9:30 p.m. on January 7, 2021.

Earlier that day, he had two strokes.

The strokes were due to a basilar artery blood clot, which caused damage to his brainstem and cerebellum.

Sicknick's family had been informed that he was treated for a stroke caused by a blood clot, and had been surviving on a ventilator.