Capitol Police officer who clashed with pro-Trump mob becomes fifth person to die in riots

Brian D Sicknick died on Thursday night after sustaining injuries ‘physically engaging with protesters’, police said

A US Capitol Police officer has died of injuries sustained during clashes with a mob of Trump's supporters (AFP via Getty Images)

A Capitol Police officer who was injured clashing with pro-Trump rioters on Wednesday has now died in hospital, a spokesperson said.

Officer Brian D Sicknick died on Thursday night after sustaining injuries during the hours-long faceoff with the pro-Trump mob, after which he collapsed and was hospitalised. 

“Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the US Capitol and was injured while physically engaging with protesters," the statement by Capitol police said. “He returned to his division office and collapsed.  He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries."

The statement further says: "The death of Officer Sicknick will be investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, the USCP, and our federal partners.” 

This is the fifth death reported after the Capitol insurrection. Among four Trump supporters killed was a woman, Ashli Babbit, 35, who was shot by authorities. Others were identified by authorities as 50-year-old Benjamin Phillips, of Ringtown Pennsylvania, Kevin Greeson, 55, of Athens Alabama and Rosanne Boylan, 34, of Kennesaw Georgia.

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The circumstances surrounding Sicknick’s death were unclear as several reports earlier claimed he died on Thursday, however, The Daily Beast reported that the officer was alive on life support at that point. 

Earlier on Thursday, Metropolitan Police Department chief Robert Contee said at a press conference that 56 officers were injured throughout the night, with one officer remaining in the hospital after being beaten and tased by the mob.

Democratic leaders of the House Appropriations Committee said the “tragic loss” of a Capitol police officer “should remind all of us of the bravery of the law enforcement officers who protected us, our colleagues, Congressional staff, the press corps and other essential workers″ during the hours-long takeover of the Capitol by pro-Trump protesters.

News of the officer's death comes shortly after the Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resigned amid criticism of the department's response to rioters.