Two are charged with assaulting Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after the Capitol riot

Mr. Khater and Mr. Tanios were seen on video in the early afternoon standing five to eight feet from police officers, including Agent Sicknick, the FBI said.

In a video of the attack, Mr. Khater said, “Give me this,” then searched Mr. Tanios’ backpack, the FBI said. Mr. Tanios protested that it was too early, apparently, to attack the officers with the spray. Mr. Khater replied that he had just received a spray and held up the chemical spray canister.

At 2:23 p.m., as other rioters began to push a barrier away between them and the Capitol, Mr. Khater aimed his spray can at officers, the FBI said, citing video footage that included a body camera carried by a Washington Metropolitan Police officer. Department. The officers reacted “one by one, to something hitting them in the face,” the FBI said. “The officers immediately withdraw from the line, bring their hands to their faces and rush to find water to wash their eyes.

They were unable to defend the Capitol for at least 20 minutes while they recovered, video showed, according to FBI Two other officers who were assaulted “described the spray on their faces as as strong a substance if not more strong, than any version. pepper spray they were exposed to during their training as law enforcement officers, ”the FBI said, and one of them said she had scabs on her face for weeks.

Officer Sicknick was then rushed to hospital, where he died. Investigators launched a homicide investigation immediately after the death of the officer, a 42-year-old Air National Guard veteran who served in Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan.

Officers and rioters deployed sprays, sledgehammer and other irritants during the attack. Based on this evidence, prosecutors have laid charges of assault rather than murder, law enforcement officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

It is still unclear whether Agent Sicknick died due to his exposure to the spray. On January 7, the day of his death, Capitol Police said in a statement that he “was injured while physically engaging with protesters” during the riot and then “returned to the office. of his division and had collapsed ”.