BREAKING: Two Charged With Assaulting Officer Brian Sicknick During January 6 Riot

 

Two men sprayed Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to charging documents unsealed on Monday.

Julian Khater of Pennsylvania and George Tanios of West Virginia have been charged with assault for allegedly hitting Sicknick, who died a day after the riot, with the chemical spray, according to The Washington Post. Khater and Tanios face a total of nine charges that are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.The men were connected with the assault through tipsters who contacted the FBI identifying the men from videos, prosecutors said in a complaint. Tanios’ sister claimed that he “was arrested for something he didn’t do. He didn’t do it. He would never do that.”

Sicknick died in a hospital on the evening of January 7. Questions have swirled around the police officer’s death amid claims that he was killed by a pro-Trump rioter hitting the officer in the head with a fire extinguisher. The District of Columbia medical examiner’s office has yet to release any information on Sicknick’s death.

A January 7 press release by the U.S. Capitol Police announcing Sicknick’s death said that he was injured while engaging rioters, but gave no specific details on what happened.

“At approximately 9:30 p.m. this evening (January 7, 2021), United States Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick passed away due to injuries sustained while on-duty,” the press release said. “Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol and was injured while physically engaging with protesters. He returned to his division office and collapsed.  He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.”

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.