Brian Sicknick

Location: District of Columbia
Incident Date: Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Weapon: Person
Offender: Charged with assault

Officer Brian Sicknick suffered a stroke after physically engaging with protestors on the grounds of the United States Capitol.

Some of the protestors began to riot and forcefully breached the entrances of the Capitol Building while Congress was certifying the Electoral College votes following the 2020 presidential election.

During the protest, Officer Sicknick and other officers were sprayed with a chemical irritant believed to be bear spray. Officer Sicknick returned to his division office after engaging with protestors and collapsed a short time later. He was transported to a local hospital where he passed away the following day.

On March 14th, 2021, two men were arrested and charged with assaulting Officer Sicknick.

Officer Sicknick was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He had served with the United States Capitol Police for 12 years and was assigned to the First Responder's Unit.

It's been over 5 years, and I think about your sacrifice constantly. You died protecting the Constitution, and there can be no sacrifice greater than yours, giving your life to protect 250 years of democracy, freedom, and justice, not to mention your physical protection of Congressional workers, including myself, who very well could have died that fateful day. You will be honored and remembered as a hero by millions of Americans for centuries to come. Rest in peace officer, and I truly pray that your sacrifice will never be in vain.

An eternally grateful Congressional staf
United States House of Representatives
March 8th, 2026

Brian David Sicknick served six years in the New Jersey Air National Guard, reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant. He deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1999 for Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the post-Gulf War no-fly zones, and later to Kyrgyzstan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He was honorably discharged in 2003 and joined the United States Capitol Police in July 2008, serving with the First Responder's Unit.

His parents, Gladys and Charles Sicknick, and his two older brothers.