A former 51 year old Capitol Police Chief who was on duty the day of the Capitol riot was reported to have died by suicide. Howard Liebengood was assigned to the Senate division and was with the department since 2005.
The Capitol Police are a 2000 strong force tasked with protecting the capitol complex. They were under staffed and officers didn’t have any riot gear. The huge crowd was able to push right through the flimsy security fencing.
For weeks online sites had been warning of possible violence. Yet the department of homeland security and capitol police ignored the warning signs. There was an intelligent failure. The Pentagon had offered additional National Guard troops but the offer was refused. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser put out signage that “Under federal law, it is illegal to possess firearms on the US Capitol grounds and on National Park Service areas, such as Freedom Plaza, the Ellipse, and the National Mall.” There were clear indications that January 6, 2021 would be as Trump put it in his invitation, “Wild.” Bullet holes have been found coming from outside the Capitol through windows.
Trump was upset that the mob looked “low class.” Rioters came to the Capitol with lead pipes and pepper spray. One had several hand guns and an assault rifle and ammunition his vehicle. Some rioters had on bullet proof vests and carried zip ties to restrain the limbs of legislators. These more militarized rioters knew the layout of the Capitol building and quickly found the Senate and Congress chambers and the office of Nancy Peloci and others. The plan was to hang Mike Pence and others. An investigation will likely show that these insurrectionists were given inside information. Legislators had to cower behind closed doors hoping for help that didn’t come for hours. Video shows some Capitol police posing for selfies and letting protestors into the building.
The Department of Justice offered federal law enforcement help to the Capitol Police as the situation deteriorated, but the Capitol force was slow to accept the offer. As many as 60 Capitol Police officers were injured, including 15 who were hospitalized and one officer, Brian D. Sicknick, was murdered by a terrorist who struck him with a fire extinguisher.
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A former Department of Homeland Security official said that a reserve force should have been staged out of sight, to be able to respond if the situation spiraled out of the police’s control. Once the rioters moved on the building, “They should have had a very visible presence, with cops in riot gear,” the official said. “You use overwhelming force. You declare it an unlawful assembly. And you immediately begin implementing crowd control techniques. None of that was done. Which stands in stark contrast to how Black Lives Matter Protestors were tear gassed and beaten for a photo op by Trump in front of a church.
One rioter was shot by a Capitol Police officer as she forced her way into the building toward the House Chamber where Members of Congress were sheltering in place. The rioters were close to smashing open a door and she leaped up through an open window and was immediately shot. Three other rioters died. Police identified them as Benjamin Phillips, 50, of Ringtown, Pennsylvania; Kevin Greeson, 55, of Athens, Alabama; and Rosanne Boyland, 34, of Kennesaw, Georgia. There are many ways to get injured in an insurrection.
In America over 4,000 people are now dying every day due to COVID-19. Flags throughout D.C. are at half mast for those lost in the Capitol riot. Only the flag above the White House, where Trump is hiding, is not at half mast. Trump invited the insurrection and needs to be removed from office immediately. Another attack by emboldened rioters is being planned later this week in D.C. Perhaps the treat will be considered seriously this time.