When Donald Trump incited the riot on the Capitol in January 6th, he inspired many horrific acts. 5 people died as a result of the riots. 2 police officers involved in the altercation later committed suicide.
The most shocking of the five deaths was that of Capitol Officer Brian Sicknick. Initial reports said that Sicknick was bashed in the head with a fire extinguisher during the melee.
The death of Sicknick has been a key component of House Managers arguments against Donald Trump during the impeachment trial. And it is devastating.
Conservative outlet The National Review is hinting that Sicknick died in a different way and is calling on House Managers to prove that the officer was killed by the actions of the rioters.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Andrew McCarthy writes, “Clearly, if Officer Sicknick died because of something the rioters did, that is a serious matter. If that happened, former President Trump should be accountable, because he was instrumental in arranging the January 6 rally that turned violent, because he stirred up his supporters with provocative rhetoric, and because — as commander in chief of the armed forces — he failed to take action to repel the siege on the Capitol.”
The author also notes that the head of the Capitol police union had told Tucker Carlson that Sicknick had actually died of a stroke.
Of course, outlets like the New York Times had reported that the officer died due to a blow to the head from a fire extinguisher. That report has not been confirmed. But it is highly unlikely that Sicknick’s death wasn’t caused by something that occurred during the insurrection.
Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey based politics and technology writer. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com and hillreporter.com. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books and spending time at the shore with his family.
