US Capitol riots dead named by police as officer dies of injuries
A police officer who was injured as rioters stormed the Capitol building in Washington DC has died.
Officer Brian D Sicknick died on Thursday from injuries he sustained after physically engaging with protesters at the US Capitol on Wednesday.
Four others died during the protests, including a woman who was shot by police inside the building, who has been named as Ashli Babbitt, and three others who suffered medical emergencies.
Mr Sicknick joined the Capitol Police in 2008.
Democratic leaders of the House Appropriations Committee said the “tragic loss” of a Capitol Police officer “should remind all of us of the bravery of the law enforcement officers who protected us, our colleagues, congressional staff, the press corps and other essential workers″ during the hours-long takeover of the Capitol by pro-Trump protesters.
Ms Babbitt died in hospital after she was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer as protesters moved towards the House chamber on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old from San Diego had a history of social media rants against many of President Donald Trump's favourite targets - illegal immigration, masks and his critics and frequently posted unsubstantiated comments online about election fraud by the president and his most extreme supporters.
Her husband says that "she loved her country, and she was doing what she thought was right to support her country."
District of Columbia police have identified the three other people who had medical emergencies and died during the storming of the Capitol.
They are 55-year-old Kevin Greeson, of Athens, Alabama; 34-year-old Rosanne Boyland, of Kennesaw, Georgia; and 50-year-old Benjamin Philips, of Ringtown, Pennsylvania.
Police Chief Robert Contee would not give any details about the exact cause of their deaths or confirm if any of the three was actively involved in breaching the Capitol building on Wednesday.
Greeson's family says he had a heart attack, describing him as a supporter of President Donald Trump's but denied he condoned violence.
In a family statement from his wife Kristi, the family described Greeson as a Trump supporter but maintained he was not there to participate in the rioting inside the Capitol.
The family said they are devastated by the loss.
“Kevin was an advocate of President Trump and attended the event on January 6, 2020 to show his support. He was excited to be there to experience this event — he was not there to participate in violence or rioting, nor did he condone such actions,” the family said.