What Happened To Brian Sicknick? How Did Brian Sicknick Died?
by Rajalaxmi
Updated Mar 08, 2023
What happened to Brian Sicknick?
Washington D.C.'s chief medical examiner, Dr. Francisco Diaz, announced that U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died of natural causes the day after the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Sicknick, who engaged with pro-Trump rioters during the attack, suffered two strokes and collapsed at the Capitol around 10 p.m. on January 6. He was transported to a local hospital and died nearly 24 hours later.
Initial reports had indicated that Sicknick died as a result of injuries sustained during the attack, leading the Justice Department to open a federal murder investigation into his death. However, the medical examiner's report stated that Sicknick did not suffer an allergic reaction to chemical irritants dispensed by the rioters, nor was there any evidence of internal or external injuries.
Sicknick, who was 42 years old, was sprayed with a chemical substance outside the Capitol at around 2:20 p.m. on January 6. Two men, Julian Elie Khater and George Pierre Tanios were arrested last month and charged with conspiring to injure officers and assaulting federal officers, among other crimes, over their alleged involvement in spraying a chemical on Sicknick. In a statement, the U.S. Capitol Police said it accepts the medical examiner's findings and emphasized that Sicknick "died in the line of duty, courageously defending Congress and the Capitol." Sicknick has been counted as one of five people who died as a result of the insurrection attempt at the Capitol, during which extremists stormed the complex in an attempt to halt the certification of President Biden's White House victory.
How did Brian Sicknick died?
Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was present at the U.S. Capitol during the January 6th insurrection, died of natural causes, according to the D.C. medical examiner's office. The announcement on Monday contradicts earlier reports that Sicknick died from injuries sustained during the riot.
The chief medical examiner's office stated that Sicknick suffered two strokes at the base of his brainstem caused by a clot in an artery, leading to "acute brainstem and cerebellar infarcts due to acute basilar artery thrombosis." Sicknick had been sprayed with a chemical substance outside the Capitol at around 2:20 p.m. on January 6th, and he collapsed eight hours later before dying the following evening.
Despite being sprayed with a chemical substance, the medical examiner's office concluded that Sicknick's death was natural, indicating that it was caused by a disease alone. However, the autopsy did not find any evidence of internal or external injuries or an allergic reaction to the chemical substance. The medical examiner's office emphasized that everything that occurred that day played a role in Sicknick's condition.
The Capitol police had initially reported that Sicknick died from injuries sustained while on duty and that he had been physically engaging with the rioters before returning to his division office and collapsing. Two suspects were charged in March with assaulting Sicknick and disabling him with a chemical spray.
Capitol Police released a statement accepting the finding that Sicknick died of natural causes, but they emphasized that it does not change the fact that he died in the line of duty while defending Congress and the Capitol. Sicknick was a well-respected officer who had been with the Capitol Police since 2008. After his death, he lay in honor at the Capitol, and he was remembered as a "peacekeeper" who was "caught in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Who is Brian Sicknick?
Brian Sicknick, a United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer, died on January 7, 2021, one day after he responded to an attack on the U.S. Capitol. The events of that day sent shockwaves throughout the country and Sicknick's death was initially reported by multiple media outlets as being due to injuries he sustained during the attack. However, months later the Washington D.C. medical examiner reported that there were no injuries to Sicknick.
The District of Columbia chief medical examiner found that Sicknick had died from a stroke, classifying his death as natural, but also commented that "all that transpired played a role in his condition." This included the physical and emotional stress of responding to the riot at the Capitol.
Despite the medical examiner's report, the U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Justice Department initially stated that Sicknick's death was due to injuries sustained during the riot. Media outlets also reported, citing two anonymous law enforcement officials, that Sicknick had died after being struck in the head with a fire extinguisher during the unrest. These reports persisted for weeks, despite being proven untrue.
Sicknick's death was a tragic event that occurred during a tumultuous period in American history. In recognition of his service, his cremated remains were laid in honor in the Capitol Rotunda on February 2, 2021, before they were buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Brian Sicknick cause of death
In April 2021, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia released a press release announcing the cause and manner of death of Brian Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who died following the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol Building. The release stated that the cause of death was "acute brainstem and cerebellar infarcts due to acute basilar artery thrombosis," which translates to two strokes caused by a blood clot in an artery at the base of the brain stem. The manner of death was classified as "natural," indicating that it was caused solely by a disease or condition and not by an injury.
The release was issued more than 100 days after the autopsy, which led to some speculation and questions about the delay and the cause of death. Some neurologists disputed the classification of the manner of death as "natural," citing the possibility that stress and trauma from the events of January 6th could have contributed to Sicknick's strokes. A forensic pathologist also suggested that the manner of death could have been classified as a homicide, accident, or undetermined.
Dr. Francisco J. Diaz, the chief medical examiner, stated that there was no evidence of an injury or allergic reaction to chemical irritants in Sicknick's case, but declined to comment on whether Sicknick had any preexisting medical conditions. He did note, however, that Sicknick had engaged with the rioters and that "all that transpired played a role in his condition."
The Capitol Police accepted the medical examiner's findings but maintained that Sicknick died in the line of duty while defending Congress and the Capitol. The full autopsy report was not released to the public due to privacy laws.
When did Brian Sicknick died?
Brian Sicknick died on 7 January 2021. On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol was the site of a violent insurrection led by supporters of former President Donald Trump, seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Among the chaos and violence, that day was the tragic death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.
Sicknick was on duty outside the Capitol building's west side on the front line facing protesters when the rioters attempted to breach the police line formed by barricades of bicycle racks at around 2:23 p.m. Sicknick and some other officers were pepper sprayed and became unable to perform their duties for about 20 minutes. The officer retreated, bent over, and used water to wash out his face.
Within five minutes of the pepper spray attack, the rioters breached the police line and seized control of the west side of the building. There was no evidence that Sicknick had any injuries or an allergic reaction to the chemical spray, according to a statement by the medical examiner months later.
Despite texting his brother on Wednesday night after the riot, reporting that he had been twice attacked with pepper spray and was in good shape, Sicknick later collapsed around 10 p.m. at the Capitol and was taken to a local hospital. Sadly, he died the following day, January 7, at the age of 42.
The circumstances surrounding Sicknick's death were initially unclear, but it was later determined that he had suffered two strokes and died of natural causes. However, it was also reported that he had been sprayed with a chemical irritant during the riots, which may have contributed to his death. The investigation into his death is ongoing, and the exact cause of his strokes has not been officially determined.
What happened to Brian Sicknick - FAQs
Brian Sicknick was a 42-year-old US Capitol Police officer who served in the New Jersey Air National Guard before joining the Capitol Police in 2008.
Brian Sicknick died on January 7, 2021, from injuries sustained during January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol. According to the Capitol Police, Sicknick was injured while physically engaging with protesters, and he later collapsed in his office.
The details of Sicknick's injuries have not been released to the public. However, it has been reported that he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher during the insurrection.
Two men, Julian Khater and George Tanios have been charged with assaulting Sicknick and two other officers with chemical spray during the insurrection. However, no one has been charged with causing Sicknick's death.
The circumstances surrounding Brian Sicknick's death have been the subject of political debate, with some politicians and media outlets using his death to further their political agendas.