WASHINGTON - Honoring the United States Capitol Police officers Howard Liebengood and Brian Sicknick, President Donald Trump ordered that the flag flying above the White House and all US flags lowered to half-staff on Sunday as both were on duty when a mob of supporters of Trump breached the US Capitol on Wednesday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had ordered flags at the US Capitol to be flown at half-staff the following day, as the step made by Trump comes days after Capitol Police made an announcement on Thursday that Sicknick died due to the injuries incurred while on-duty.
Meanwhile, the Capitol Police stated on Sunday that Liebengood died while off duty, but the announcement did not mention any cause of death of the officer.
President Donald Trump made the move after pressure coming from lawmakers to lower the flag of the White House to half-staff, which is already days after the death of the officer.
Based on the proclamation from the President, On January 13, 2021, until sunset, as a sign of respect for the sacrifice and service of United States Capitol Police Officers Brian D. Sicknick and Howard Liebengood, all the officers of the Capitol Police and law enforcement all over the great Nation. By the authority vested in him as the President of the United States by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, Trump ordered that the US flags lowered at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions.
The two officers were on duty at the time of insurrection on Wednesday at the US Capitol, after hundreds of pro-Trump rioters pushed through the barriers set up along the perimeter of the Capitol. Demonstrators eventually made their way into the building and the House floor was evacuated by police, Business Insider reported.
After his aides and allies in the Congress inside the besieged Capitol pleaded, Trump, shared a video that urges the rioters to go home, while still fanning their baseless regarding the alleged stolen election.
According to a Capitol Police statement, Sicknick was injured while engaging physically with the rioters and collapsed after returning to his division office.
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The law enforcement officials also shared that the 42-year-old Capitol Police Officer, Sicknick, was hit with a fire extinguisher as a mob proceeded to lay siege to Capitol Hill.
The statement also mentioned that Sicknick was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
According to CNN, a law enforcement official shared to them that prosecutors in the US Attorney's office plan to open a federal murder investigation into the death of Sicknick.
In July of 2008, Sicknick joined the United States Capitol Police, and recently he served in the First Responder's Unit of the Department.
The Capitol Police also mentioned that their entire Department expresses its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Officer Sicknick on their loss, and mourns the loss of a friend and colleague, The Orange County Register reported.
The lowering of US flags into half mast was ordered as people around the country mourn with the families of the officers who risked their lives.
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