At least two Capitol Hill Police officers have been suspended and another security official was arrested Monday for allegedly participating in the deadly uprising in Washington nearly a week ago, according to reports citing an announcement by Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio.
As many as 10 to 15 other Capitol officers remain under investigation for their failed response or involvement in the insurgency and could face charges of failing to protect the Capitol.
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Ryan said he wasn’t sure whether the individual arrested was a Capitol Police officer or a member of the National Guard.
The FBI is continuing to investigate the riot and has made at least 20 high-profile arrests around the country in the days since.
The deputies who were suspended reportedly took selfies with the rioters, and one officer also put on a MAGA hat as the building was swarmed by Trump supporters angry about Joe Biden’s election. Ryan said the officer in the MAGA hat was observed “directing some people around.”
Ryan chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee that is now handling the investigation into Wednesday’s attack. He did not offer more specifics about the role of the officers in the riot or their level of involvement.
Ryan added that the interim Capitol Police chief is taking “aggressive action” to determine whether other officers played a role in the chaos that led to five deaths, including a woman who was shot to death by security officials, and a Capitol Hill police officer who was reportedly hit in the head with a fire extinguisher.
The former Capitol Police chief, Steven Sund, resigned but later defended his actions, saying he pleaded for security assistance from the National Guard but that his bosses told him to stand down because they were more concerned about optics.
President Donald Trump summoned his supporters to the nation’s capital to help pressure lawmakers to reject the Jan. 6 Electoral College vote count amid a joint session of Congress in hopes of overturning the results and hand another term to the incumbent.
“See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it,” Trump tweeted.
Of the 60 Capitol officers who were injured in the mayhem, 15 had to be hospitalized and one was in critical condition. Many also had head injuries from being struck with lead pipes, reports said.
This is a developing story. Please stay with AJC.com for the latest details.
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