Headline: Officers Lost Their Lives to Capitol Siege

Author: Claudia Rivera, Managing Editor

Cmr6395@psu.edu

On January 6th of the new year, a capital siege occurred that resulted in lives lost. The fuel behind the attack was the confirmation of, now President Joseph Biden by congress. Five deaths occurred as a result of the attack on the capital. Two of those lives were D.C officers. Officer Howard Liebengoood, 51, a member of the U.S capital police committed suicide after the attack on the capital. Liebengood, who went by “Howie” to everyone who knew him, had been an officer guarding the Capital since 2005. His death was confirmed as a suicide on Monday the 11^th.

“His death is a tragedy that has deprived all of us of a dedicated public servant,” Barry Pollack, a lawyer representing the Liebengood family, said in a statement.

Pollack confirmed that Liebengood is survived by his wife and siblings.

Liebengood’s death was the second life loss of a Capitol Police Officer in the span of a week: On Wednesday the 13^th, Officer Brian Sicknick collapsed and later lost his life after being physically assaulted by former President Donald Trump’s supporters as they stormed the capital building in hopes to stop the senate from voting. The death of Sicknick is being investigated as a possible murder. Law enforcement says Sicknick was struck with a fire extinguisher.

The third life lost was Jeffery Smith, 35, who attempted to stop a violent group of Former President Donald Trump’s supporters from storming the U.S Capitol had killed himself. Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee confirmed the death of his colleague on Wednesday, January 24^th, making this the second life lost by suicide.

Smith had been a law enforcement officer for 12 years. “We honor the service and sacrifices of Officers Brian Sicknick, Howard Liebengood, Jeffery Smith and offer condolences to all the grieving families,” acting MPD Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said during remarks before the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday evening.

Contee confirmed that about 850 MPD officers responded to the riot and that an additional 65 D.C officers sustained injuries after the mob of trump supporters stormed the Capital Building, these included scratches, bruises, eyes burning from bear mace, according to Contee.