Capitol Police Officer Dies in Apparent Suicide

Howard Liebengood was deployed to the Capitol during attack
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 10, 2021 1:10 PM CST
Capitol Police Officer Dies in Apparent Suicide
Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier Wednesday at the Capitol.   (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

A Capitol Police officer who was on duty during Wednesday's attack on Congress died Saturday. The cause of death apparently was suicide, WTTG reports. Howard Liebengood was 51. "Officer Liebengood was an example of the selfless service that is the hallmark of USCP," Gus Papathanasiou, the police union chair, said in a statement, per WGTV. "This is a tragic day."

Terrance Gainer, a former chief of the force, said Sunday that Liebengood was a "line-of-duty casualty," per Forbes, comparing his death to that of Brian Sicknick. That officer died after apparently being struck with a fire extinguisher by rioters. Liebengood, who was off duty when he died, joined the Capitol Police in 2005. He was assigned to the Senate; his father was once the Senate's sergeant-at-arms. (The chief of the Capitol Police was ousted immediately after the mob stormed the building.)

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