A US Capitol Police officer is on life support devices after being hit on the head by a fire extinguisher during Wednesday’s disturbances, a report said.
Four people were fatally injured in the chaos in Washington, DC, where masses of Trump supporters easily overtook the police to enter the Capitol building.
A source told NewsNation Now that a hooligan had beaten the policeman with the fire extinguisher.
The first reports indicated that the policeman had died, but in a statement to a WUSA 9 reporter, Capitol Police union president Gus Papathanasiou clarified that the policeman was still in life support devices.
In response to the policeman’s injury, Minnesota representative Dean Phillips wrote on Twitter: “My heart goes out to the policeman’s family and everyone who risks their lives every day to protect and serve our communities with dignity and principle.”
More than 50 police officers from the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department were injured on Wednesday, officials said.
Chaos within the corridors of the historic legislative building led to the death of Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veterinarian who was shot dead by Capitol Police.
Three other people died of medical injuries during Wednesday’s riots.
They were identified on Thursday by police and media reports as Kevin Greeson, 55, from Alabama, Benjamin Phillips, 50, from Pennsylvania, and Rosanne Boyland, 34, a Georgia resident.
The news of the official’s death came when Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund announced his resignation.
Sund will step down on January 16, according to an NBC News report.
Capitol police were attacked after appearing unprepared by Wednesday’s rebel mob.
The footage from the scene shows the police stepping back and allowing protesters to march through the metal barricades towards the Capitol.