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US Capitol Police said in a statement that Officer Brian D. Sicknick, 42, was injured “while physically engaging with protesters” during Wednesday’s riot. He is the fifth person to die from the melee.
Agent Sicknick’s brother released the following statement to ABC News:
“After a day of fighting for his life, he died a hero. I would like to thank all of his law enforcement brothers and sisters for the incredible compassion and support they have shown my family. My family and I hope our privacy can be respected while we cry. Thank you. “
The rampage that shocked the world and left the country adrift forced the resignation of three senior Capitol Hill security officials for failing to end the breach. This led lawmakers to demand an FBI operations review and briefing on what they called a “terrorist attack.” And it prompts a broader examination of Trump’s tenure and what will follow for a torn nation.
WATCH: Full coverage of the chaos at the Capitol
Protesters were urged by Trump at a rally near the White House earlier Wednesday to travel to Capitol Hill, where lawmakers were to confirm Biden’s presidential victory. Crowds quickly broke through police barriers, smashed windows and marched through the hallways, sending lawmakers into hiding.
One protester, a white woman, was shot dead by Capitol Police, and dozens of arrests took place. Three other people died after “medical emergencies” related to the breach.
Images of January 6, 2021
Despite Trump’s repeated allegations of electoral fraud, election officials and his own former attorney general said there was no problem on a scale that would change the outcome. All states have certified their results as fair and accurate, by both Republican and Democratic officials.
Senator Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Said the news of the police officer’s death was “heartbreaking”.
“None of this should have happened,” Sasse said in a statement. “The Lord has mercy.”
Sicknick had returned to his division office after the incident and collapsed, the statement said. He was taken to a local hospital where he died on Thursday.
Two House Democrats on committees overseeing Capitol Police budgets have said those responsible should be held to account for the “senseless” death.
“We have to make sure that the mob that attacked the People’s House and those who instigated them are fully responsible,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Ct., And Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio. in a report.
Earlier Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said any day left with the president in power could be “a horror show for America.” Likewise, Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer said the attack on Capitol Hill was “an insurgency against the United States, instigated by the President,” and that Trump must not remain in power “someday” from more.
WATCH: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls on Cabinet to invoke 25th Amendment
Pelosi and Schumer called for invoking the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to force Trump out of office ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20. Schumer said he and Pelosi attempted to call Vice President Mike Pence early Thursday to discuss the option, but were unable to contact him.
WATCH: Vice President Pence addresses Congress as Electoral College certification resumes
At least one Republican lawmaker has joined the effort. The procedure allows the vice-president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the president unfit for office. The vice-president then becomes interim president.
Pelosi said if the president’s office does not act quickly, the House could proceed with Trump’s impeachment.
Trump, who had repeatedly refused to concede the election, did so in a late Thursday White House video promising a “smooth transition of power.”
Two Republicans who led the effort to challenge the election results, Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri, faced angry peers in the Senate. Cruz defended his objection to the election results as “the right thing to do” as he unsuccessfully attempted to have an investigation opened by Congress. In the House, Republican leaders, Republican Kevin McCarthy of California and the Republican Steve Scalise of Louisiana made an effort to overturn Biden’s victory by opposing the Electoral College results.
WATCH: Joe Biden calls on Capitol Hill crowd to ‘step back’, urges to restore decency
With tensions high, the Capitol has closed its doors and lawmakers with no plans to return before the inauguration, a worrying sense of impasse settled in a main seat of national power as Trump remained locked in the White House.
Social media giant Facebook has banned the president from its platform and Instagram for the duration of Trump’s final days in power, if not indefinitely, citing his intention to stir up unrest. Twitter had silenced him the day before.
SEE ALSO: Twitter locks down Trump account after deleting tweets about DC protesters
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said that “the shocking events” make it clear that Trump “intends to use his remaining time in power to undermine the peaceful and legal transition of power.”
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, under pressure from Schumer, Pelosi and other congressional leaders, was forced to resign. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called for and received the resignation of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger with immediate effect. Paul Irving, the House’s longtime Sergeant-at-Arms, has also resigned.
WATCH: Mitch McConnell breaks up with Trump in steamy speech
Sund had defended his department’s response to the storming of the Capitol, saying the officers had “acted valiantly in the face of thousands of individuals implicated in violent rioting.”
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called the police response a “failure.”
WATCH: Lawmakers huddle as officers clash with crowds
Lawmakers on both sides vowed to investigate and questioned whether a lack of preparation allowed a mob to occupy and vandalize the building. The Pentagon and Justice Department had been pushed back when offering to help.
Black lawmakers, in particular, took note of the way Trump supporters, mostly white, were being treated.
Newly elected Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., Said that if “we as black people did the same things that happened … the reaction would have been different, we would have been willing on the ground. “
WATCH: Political analyst discusses Chaos Day
Protesters ransacked the place, taking control of the House and Senate chamber area and waving Trump, American and Confederate flags. Outside, they climbed the walls and balconies.
Former Police Chief Val Demings, D-Fla., Said it was “painfully obvious” that the Capitol Police “were unprepared.”
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Associated Press editors Mary Clare Jalonick, Zeke Miller, Alan Fram, Padmananda Rama, and Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2021 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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