WASHINGTON – Federal investigators investigating the death of a US Capitol police officer killed in the January 6 riot pointed out a suspect seen in a video that appeared to have spread a chemical substance on the policeman before he passed out and died, two people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press.
The FBI obtained a video showing the person spraying Brian Sicknick and other officers during the January 6 riot, people said. But they warned that federal agents have not yet identified the suspect by name and that the act was not directly related to Sicknick’s death.
The idea that Sicknick died after being sprayed by a chemical irritant has emerged in recent weeks as a new theory in the case.
Investigators initially believed that Sicknick was hit in the head by a fire extinguisher, based on depositions collected at the beginning of the investigation, according to one of the people and another law enforcement official informed about the case. But as they collected more evidence, the case theory evolved and investigators now believe that Sicknick may have ingested a chemical – possibly bear spray – during the rebellion that may have contributed to his death, officials said.
People were unable to publicly discuss the details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Sicknick died after defending the Capitol against the crowd that invaded the building while Congress voted to certify Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Donald Trump. It happened after Trump asked supporters on the National Mall to “fight like hell” to reverse his defeat.
The circumstances surrounding Sicknick’s death remain unclear and the ultimate cause of death has yet to be determined. Capitol Police said he died after being injured “while physically engaging the protesters” and this week the agency’s acting chief said the authorities considered it a service death.
Sicknick passed out later, was hospitalized and died. The Justice Department has opened a federal murder investigation into his death, but prosecutors are still evaluating what specific charges can be made in the case, people said.
In a statement on Friday, Capitol Police said the coroner’s report on Sicknick’s death was not yet complete. “We are awaiting the results of the toxicology and continue to work with other government agencies on the death investigation,” the statement said.
The New York Times reported for the first time that investigators were focusing on a suspect in the case; CNN previously reported that the police collected video evidence to identify a handful of potential suspects.
The FBI has released about 250 photos of people being searched for assaulting federal police officers during the riot. Some have already been arrested and the Justice Department said about 300 people have been charged with federal riot-related crimes.
– The Associated Press