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Top line
The number of suicide deaths among officers who responded to the Jan.6 attack on the United States Capitol doubled on Monday as the DC Metropolitan Police Department confirmed the deaths of two other officers.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 6: Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people attempt to … [+]
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Highlights
Officer Kyle DeFreytag, who responded to the riot after more than four years as a DC police officer, was found dead on July 10, department spokesman Hugh Carew said. Forbes.
DeFreytag was a 26-year-old resident of Alexandria, Va., Originally from Pennsylvania, according to an obituary published by the Bensing-Thomas funeral home.
The cause of DeFreytag’s death was suicide, according to Sean Hickman, another spokesperson for the department.
DeFreytag’s death was first reported by WUSA9, a local DC television affiliate, which last month obtained a message from DC Police Chief Robert Contee to officers advising them of DeFreytag’s death .
Confirmation of DeFreytag’s death came just hours after the department confirmed the July 29 death of Officer Gunther Hashida, an 18-year veteran of the department who also responded to the riot.
Key context
The deaths of DeFreytag and Hashida bring the number of suicides among officers who responded to the riot to four. Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood committed suicide days after the attack, and DC Police Officer Jeffrey Smith committed suicide several weeks later. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died of a stroke a day after the riot, the DC medical examiner found in April, noting that “everything that happened played out a role in his condition “.
Large number
138. This is the number of officers from the Capitol Police and the DC Metropolitan Police who were injured in the attack, according to the New York Times – which does not take into account the many others facing post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health complications.
Tangent
Four law enforcement officers testified last week about their heartbreaking and, in some cases, near-fatal experiences in response to the riot. “This day continues to be a constant trauma for us literally every day, whether it is because [of] our physical or emotional injuries or both, â€Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell told a select committee investigating the attack.
Crucial quote
“He loved hiking, camping, motorcycling, he loved traveling and playing the drums, he loved trying different ethnic dishes and always knew the best places to eat. Kyle was nice, he had a sharp wit and a great sense of humor and kept us laughing for 26 years, â€DeFreytag’s obituary reads.
