Third Capitol Riots Police Officer Dies From Suicide
A third police officer that worked to defend the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots has died from suicide.
Gunther Hashida, 43, an officer for Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, was found dead in his home last Thursday, according to Brianna Burch, a spokeswoman for the department.
Two other officers, Washington, D.C. Police Officer Jeffrey Smith and Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood, died by suicide within a month of the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters.
Officer Hashida joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 2003 and was assigned to the emergency response team within the Special Operations Division at the time of his death.
Like Smith, who was a 12-year veteran of the force, and Liebengood, a 16-year Capitol Police veteran, Hashida had served his department for over a decade at the time of his death.
“We are grieving as a Department as our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Hashida’s family and friends,” Burch said.
In a hearing investigating the events of the Jan. 6 riot, four police officers gave an emotional testimony, sharing they that they were beaten and received vile insults from the rioters, including racial slurs. D.C. police officer Michael Fanone, who suffered a heart attack from the attack, shared that he heard threats including “kill him with his own gun.”
Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn testified that “January 6 still isn’t over for [him],” sharing that he knows others officers “continue to hurt, both physically and emotionally.”
“I want to take this moment and speak to my fellow officers about the emotions they are continuing to experience from the events of January 6. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking professional counseling,” he said. “What we all went through that day was traumatic, and if you are hurting please take advantage of the counseling services that are available to us.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is a free, 24/7 confidential service that can provide people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, or those around them, with support, information and local resources.
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