CNN reported on Thursday night, citing three sources, that the officer had died. One of CNN’s sources said that Capitol police officers were assembled and informed that the police officer had died.
Papathanasiou told WUSA – a local Washington, DC television news station – that the officer died. Later on Thursday, the Capitol Police issued a statement stating that no police officers had died as a result of Wednesday’s riot.
Papathanasiou withdrew his statement to WUSA and told CNN that the officer was still on life support devices.
“He had a stroke. I think he’s on the life support device. We have some misinformation about it. He’s on the life support device from what I’m hearing,” Papathanasiou told CNN.
One woman was shot and killed by the Capitol Police when the crowd broke into the building and three others suffered fatal medical emergencies.
Shortly after 1 pm ET on Wednesday, hundreds of pro-Trump protesters pushed through the barriers placed along the perimeter of the Capitol, where they fought with policemen in full shock suits, some calling police officers “traitors” for doing their job.
About 90 minutes later, the police said that the protesters entered the building and that the doors of the House and Senate were being locked. Shortly after, the floor of the Chamber was evacuated by the police. Vice President Mike Pence was also evacuated from the chamber, where he was to play his part in counting electoral votes.
An armed confrontation took place at the front door of the Chamber at around 3 pm, and the police had their guns aimed at someone trying to rape her.
“They were determined to get into the Capitol building doing great damage,” said Sund.
“The violent attack on the United States Capitol was unlike any I have experienced in my 30 years of law enforcement here in Washington, DC,” he added. “Maintaining public safety in an open environment – specifically for First Amendment activities – has always been a challenge.”
Still, lawmakers say they are baffled by the lack of preparedness among police officers, as it has been known for weeks that Trump was holding a rally he said aimed at preventing Biden’s victory from being certified.
Representative Mike Quigley, an Illinois Democrat who was locked up in the Chamber of Deputies during an armed confrontation between the Capitol Police and a riot, praised the officers in the building who put their lives at risk, but made it clear that they were in fewer and law enforcement was being prepared.
“The Capitol Police I was with did an incredible job in difficult circumstances,” Quigley told CNN. “My concern was not how brave the Capitol Police were. It was that an hour before the debate started, I looked at the crowd of people around different sections of the Capitol and said, we don’t have enough security.”
Quigley added, “I am no security expert, but you can say that we were defeated an hour before the debate,” referring to Congressional procedures to certify Biden’s victory.
CORRECTION: This story and its title have been corrected to reflect that the officer is on life support devices. This story is emerging and will be updated.
CNN’s Manu Raju and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.