Two More DC Police Officers Who Responded To Capitol On Jan. 6 Commit Suicide

DC Police Officers Who Responded On Jan. 6 Suicides Up To 4

A spokesman for the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department announced on Monday that two more of the officers who responded to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol building have committed suicide.

Police Department spokesman Kristen Metzger reported that Officer Gunther Hashida was found dead in his home on July 29. Hashida was assigned to the Emergency Response Team within the Special Operations Division.

Another Metro D.C. Officer, Kyle DeFreytag, was also found dead on July 10. It brings the total of suicides by officers who responded to the Capitol that day to four.

The Justice Department has charged more than 550 people in the event. 

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Officers Testify At Hearing

Four officers who were involved in attempting to quell the melee at the Capitol on Jan. 6 gave riveting testimony last week at the House Select Hearing on Jan. 6 last week.

Metro D.C. Officers Daniel Hodges and Michael Fanone, and Capitol Police Officers Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell.

All four officers in sworn testimony gave accounts of being attacked by protesters. They testified to the committee that many officers involved that day are not just dealing with physical injuries but mental scars as well.

The committee has been a political affair since its inception.

The officers at the hearing blamed former President Donald Trump and Republicans for instigating the event, then downplaying what happened – which has been the argument Democrats have made. 

The committee itself is partisan in nature. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blocked Republican House members Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Jim Banks (R-IN) from having seats on the committee.

The only two Republicans serving on the committee are dedicated anti-Trump partisans, both of whom voted to impeach Trump, and both of whom have repeatedly attacked the former President.

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Laying Blame

For Rep. Banks, the committee isn’t about investigating an event – it has another purpose.

Banks stated, “This is politically designed by the Democrats to stop Republicans from winning back the majority in the midterm election.”

Banks also wanted to know why the officers testifying were not asked about intelligence reports that warned about possible violence. “Why were they not prepared for Jan. 6 when there was intelligence… that told them something dangerous was going to happen.”

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Placing Responsibility

Former President Donald Trump wanted National Guard troops in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 to protect protesters who were coming to object to the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

Trump asked if D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had requested National Guard troops. It is not known if she did, but Reuters reports that Trump told then Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller to “fill” the request.

In a Fox News Article, Greg Jarrett questions why the committee has not asked why, again knowing the advance intelligence from the FBI, Homeland Security, and Capitol Police, that there was the chance of violence erupting. 

As Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi oversees the Capitol Police, and as Jarrett says, “is partially responsible for maintaining adequate security.” 

 

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