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Savannah Behrmann
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Ledyard King
| USA TODAY
Capitol officer who died after riot is in honor
The murdered United States Capitol police officer, Brian Sicknick, was honored at the United States Capitol, allowing colleagues and lawmakers he protected to pay tribute and remember the violent attack on Congress that took his life. (February 3)
AP
WASHINGTON – Congressional leaders paid tribute to US Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who paid tribute on Wednesday at the Capitol Rotunda before his internment at Arlington National Cemetery.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Praised the 42-year-old officer as a “hero“ for his efforts on January 6 to stop a pro-Trump crowd that invaded the Capitol trying to prevent the counting of votes from the Electoral College to Congress then president-elect Joe Biden.
“Our promise to Brian’s family is that we will never forget his sacrifice. … We will never forget, ”said Pelosi during the dark ceremony, as she turned to address her relatives and friends. “With your permission, we can be worthy to carry Brian in our hearts. We will never forget.”
The tradition of lying in honor at the Capitol Rotunda to honor distinguished Americans began in 1852. Historically, it has been reserved for military officers and elected officials who “remained in the state”. More recently, Congress has allowed prominent citizens to “lie in honor”.
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden went to the Capitol on Tuesday night, when their remains had their ceremonial arrival and when Capitol police officers were invited to see the remains.
They kept their hands over their hearts and then Biden reached out to touch the wooden box that contained his remains. Biden then said a prayer, made the sign of the cross and came over to see the crowns.
The 42-year-old officer was hit in the head by a fire extinguisher during the hour-long attack on the Capitol. He passed out and died the next day due to injuries in a hospital.
He joins two other Capitol police officers who received the honor after dying in the Fulfillment: Officer Jacob J. Chestnut Jr. and Detective John M. Gibson, who was shot dead in 1998 when an armed intruder passed a security checkpoint on Capitol Hill.
“The courage of these heroes brings honor, brings brightness to our Constitution and our democracy,” said Pelosi, referring to the three officers.
More: What to know about Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died of injuries following the pro-Trump riot
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y. called Sicknick “a peacemaker who loved his dogs and his girlfriend Sandra (Garza), his family and the New Jersey Devils. He was caught in the wrong place at the time wrong. And it happened on a day when peace was destroyed. “
“The fact that Brian and his family had to pay such a high price for their dedicated service at the Capitol was a meaningless tragedy, which we are still struggling with,” said Schumer. “It left deep scars here in this building (e) among his friends and colleagues.”
Sicknick was one of five people who died during the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill, which also injured at least 140 police officers from the Washington, DC Police Department and the United States Capitol Police. Two others, Jeffrey Smith of the DC Police and Howard Liebengood of the Capitol Police, died of suicide in the weeks following the attack.
After the ceremony, silence filled the roundabout when members of the Capitol police force, the National Guard and others approached the urn carrying Sicknick’s remains in groups or individually to pay their respects. Most saluted the fallen officer.
An American flag was placed beside the urn, both placed in front of three wreaths representing the Senate, the House and the Capitol Police.
A ceremonial departure then took place, with dozens of policemen lining up in front of the Capitol’s Eastern Front. The American flag at the top of the building flew at half-mast.
Two officers carried Sicknick’s remains and the American flag folded up the Capitol stairs while the bagpipes played “Amazing Grace”.
A hearse drove away, taking Sicknick’s remains to Arlington National Cemetery with an escort from the Capitol Police.
After the ceremony, the officers returned to the Capitol to return to work. After standing stoically outside during Sicknick’s ceremonial departure, some embraced as they returned to the Capitol. And right at the entrance to the Capitol, where lawmakers, officers and officials normally entered the building, two officers were together, hugging each other in silence.
Other lawmakers offered their respects to Sicknick on Wednesday morning, and Vice President Kamala Harris came with second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
The two put their hands over their hearts and put their hands on the small box in the middle of the Rotunda that contained Sicknick’s remains.