>> CHAIRMAN THOMPSON, MEMBERS OF
THE SELECT COMMITTEE, THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO
GIVE MY ACCOUNT REGARDING THE
EVENTS OF JANUARY 6th 2021
FROM MY FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE AS
A CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THOSE
EVENTS AND STILL HURTING FROM
WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY, I AM
PROVIDING THIS TESTIMONY SHOALLY
MY PERSONAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS
A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED
STATES CAPITOL POLICE.
BEFORE I BEGIN -- BEFORE I
BEGIN, ID LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT
OF MY TIME TO ASK FOR A MOMENT
OF SILENCE FOR MY FALLEN
COLLEAGUE OFFICER BRIAN SICKNICK
WHO DIED FROM INJURES HE
SUSTAINED IN THE LINE OF DUTY DEFENDING THE CAPITOL OF OUR
DEFENDING THE CAPITOL OF OUR
BELOVED DEMOCRACY.
THANK YOU.
I REPORTED FOR DUTY AT THE
CAPITOL AS USUAL EARLY ON THE
MORNING OF JANUARY 6th
WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE VOTE TO
CERTIFY PRESIDENT BIDENS WOULD
BE DONE THAT DAY AND PROTESTS
MIGHT OCCUR.
WITH YOU WE EXPECTED ANY
ADMONITIONS TO BE PEACEFUL
EXPRESSIONS OF FIRST AMENDMENT
FREEDOMS
JUST LIKE THE SCORES OF
DEMONSTRATIONS WE HAD OBSERVED
FOR MANY YEARS
AFTER ROLL CALL I TOOK MY
OVERWATCH POST ON THE EAST
FROCHBT OF THE CAPITOL STANDING
ON THE STEPS THAT LED UP TO THE
SENATE CHAMBER
AS THE MORNING PROGRESSEDDY NOT
SEE OH ARE HEAR ANYTHING GIVING
ME CAUSE FOR ALARM
BUT AROUND 10:56 A.M. I RECEIVED
A TEXT MESSAGE FROM A FRIEND
FORWARDING A SCREEN SHOT OF WHAT
APPEARED TO BE THE POTENTIAL
PLAN OF ACTION, VERY DIFFERENT
FROM A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION.
THE SCREEN SHOT BORE THE
CAPTION, JANUARY 6th, RALLY
POINT, LINCOLN PARK, AND SAID
THE OBJECTIVE WAS THE CAPITOL.
IT SAID MONTHS OTHER THINGS THAT
TRUMP HAS GIVEN US MARCHING
ORDERS AND TO KEEP YOUR GUNS
HIDDEN
IT URGED PEOPLE TO BRING YOUR
TRAUMA KITS AND GAS MASKS TO
LINK UP EARLY IN THE DAY IN 6-TO
12-MAN TEAMS
IT INDICATED THERE WOULD BE TIME
TO ARM UP.
SEEING THAT MESSAGE CAUSED ME
CONCERN.
TO BE SURE, LOOKING BACK NOW, IT
SEEMED A FORESHADOW WHAT
HAPPENED LATER
AT THE TIME, THOUGH, WE HAD NOT
RECEIVED ANY THREAT WARNINGS
FROM CHAIN OF COMMAND.
I HAD NO INDEPENDENT REASON TO
BELIEVE THAT VIOLENCE WAS HEADED
OUR WAY.
AS THE MORNING PROGRESS THE AND
THE CROWD OF PROTESTERS BEGAN TO
SWELL ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
CAPITOL, MANY DISPLAYING TRUMP
FLAGS, THE CROWD WAS CHANTING
SLOGANS LIKE STOP THE STEAL, AND
WE WANT TRUMP.
BUT THE DEMONSTRATION WAS STILL
CONDUCTED IN A PEACEFUL MANNER
EARLY THAT AFTERNOON, CAPITOL
POLICE DISPATCHED ALL UNITS THAT
WE HAD ACTIVE 10-100 AT THE
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
NEARBY
POLICE CODE POR SUSPICIOUS
PACKAGE, A POTENTIAL BOMB.
THAT RADIO DISPATCH GOT MY
ATTENTION AND I STARTED TO GET
MORE NERVOUS AND WORRIED BECAUSE
THE CROWDS ON EAST FRONT OF THE
CAPITOL WERE CONTINUING TO GROW.
AROUND THE SAME TIME I STARTED
RECEIVING REPORTS ON THE RADIO
ABOUT LARGE CROWD MOVEMENTS
AROUND THE CAPITOL COMING FROM
THE DIRECTION OF THE ELLIPSE TO
BOTH THE WEST AND EAST FRONTS OF
THE CAPITOL.
THEN I HEARD URGENT RADIO CALLS
FOR ADDITIONAL OFFICERS TO
RESPOND TO THE WEST SIDE AND AN
EXCLAMATION -- A DESPERATE VOICE
THAT DEMONSTRATORS ON THE WEST
SIDE BREACHED THE FENCE.
NOW IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE
WAS A DIRECT THREAT TO THE
CAPITOL.
I QUICKLY PUT ON A STEEL CHEST
PLATE WHICH WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY
20 POUNDS.
CARRYING MY M-4 RIFLE SPRINTED
AROUND THE NORTH SIDE OF THE
CAPITOL TO THE WEST TERRACE AND
THE RAILING OF THE INAUGURAL
STAGE.
WHERE I HAD A BROAD VIEW OF WHAT
WAS GOING ON
I WAS STUNNED BY WHAT I SAW.
AND WHAT SEEMED LIKE A SEA OF
PEOPLE CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS
AND METROPOLITAN POLICE OFFICERS
WERE NIJD IN DESPERATE HAND TO
HAND FIGHTING WITH RIOTERS
ACROSS THE WEST LAWN
UNTIL THEN, I HAD NEVER SEEN
ANYONE PHYSICALLY ASSAULT
CAPITOL POLICE OR MPD LET ALONE
WITNESS MASS ASSAULTS
PERPETRATED ON LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS
I WITNESSED THE RIOTERS USING
ALL KINDS OF WEAPONS AGAINST
OFFICERS, INCLUDING FLAG POLES,
METAL BIKE RACKS THEY HAD TORN
APART AND VARIOUS KIND OF
PROJECTILES.
OFFICERS WERE BEING BLOODIED IN
THE FIGHTING, MANY SCREAMING
AND MANY WERE BLINDED AND
COUGHING FROM CHEMICAL IRRITANTS
SPRAYED IN THEIR FACES
I GAVE DECONTAMINATION AID TO AS
MANY OFFICERS AS I COULD
FLUSHING EYES WITH WATER TO
DILUTE THE CHEMICAL IRRITANTS.
SOON THERE AFTER I HEARD,
ATTENTION ALL UNITS, THE CAPITOL
HAS BEEN BREACHED, AND THAT
RIOTERS WERE IN VARIOUS PLACES
INSIDE THE BUILDING.
AT THAT POINT I RUSHED INTO THE
CAPITOL WITH ANOTHER OFFICER
GOING FIRST TO THE BASEMENT ON
THE SENATE SIDE WHERE I HEARD AN
MPD OFFICER NEEDED A
DEEFFICIENTER.
AFTER THAT I WENT BACK INTO THE
CAPITOL UP THE STAIRS TOWARDS
THE CRYPT.
THERE I SAW RIOTERS INVADING THE
CAPITOL CARRYING A CONFEDERATE
FLAG, A RED MAGA FLAG AND DONT
TRAED ON ME FLAG
I DECIDED TO STAND MY GROUND
THERE TO PREVENT RIOTERS FROM
HEADING DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE
LOWER WEST TERRACE ENTRANCE.
BECAUSE THATS WHERE OFFICERS
WERE GETTING DECONTAMINATION AID
AND WERE PARTICULARLY
VULNERABLE
AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS I
CONFRONTED A GROUP OF
INSURRECTIONISTS WARNING THEM,
DO NOT GO DOWN THOSE STEPS
ONE OF THEM SHOUTED KEEP MOVING,
PATRIOTS
ANOTHER DISPLAYED WHAT LOOKED
LIKE A LAW ENFORCEMENT BADGE AND
TOLD ME WERE DOING THIS FOR
YOU.
ONE OF THE INVADERS APPROACHED
ME LIKE HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO
GET PAST ME APPEAR HEAD DOWN THE
STAIRS
I HIT HIM, KNOCKING HIM DOWN
AFTER GETTING RELIEVED BY OTHER
OFFICERS IN THE CRYPT, I TOOK
OFF RUNNING UPSTAIRS TOWARDS THE
SPEAKERS LOBBY AND HELPED A
PLAIN CLOTHES OFFICERS GETTING
HASSLED BY INSURRECTIONISTS.
SOME DRESSED LIKE MEMBERS OF A
MILITIA GROUP WEARING TACTICAL
VESTS CARGO PANTS AND BODY
ARMOR.
I WAS PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED AND
IT WAS HARD TO BREATHE AND TO SEE BECAUSE OF ALL THE
AND TO SEE BECAUSE OF ALL THE
CHEMICAL SPRAY IN THE AIR.
MORE AND MORE INSURRECTIONISTS
POURED INTO THE AREA BY THE
SPEAKERS LOBBY NEAR THE ROTUNDA,
SOME WEARING MAGA HATS AND
SHIRTS THAT SAID TRUMP 2020.
I TOLD HIM TO JUST LEAVE THE
CAPITOL AND IN RESPONSE THEY
YELLED, NO, MAN, THIS IS OUR
HOUSE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP INVITED US HERE.
WERE HERE TO STOP THE STEAL
JOE BIDEN IS NOT THE PRESIDENT
NOBODY VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN
PIM A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
AND I DO MY BEST TO KEEP
POLITICS OUT OF MY JOB
BUT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE I
RESPONDED WELL I VOTED FOR JOE
BIDEN.
DOES MY VOTE NOT COUNT
AM I NOBODY?
THAT PROMPTED A TORRENT OF
RACHEL EP THETS.
ONE WOMAN IN A PINK MAGA SHIRT
YELLED, YOU HEAR THAT, GUYS,
THIS NI KBCHLT GER VOTED FOR JOE
BIDEN.
THEN THE CROWD PERHAPS AROUND 20
PEOPLE SCREAMING BOO, FUCKING
FUCKING NIGGER
NO ONE HAD EVER CALLED ME A
NIGGER WEARING THE UNIFORM OF A
CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER
IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE
ATTEMPTED INSURRECTION, OTHER
BLACK OFFICERS SHARED WITH ME
THEIR OWN STORIES OF RACIAL
ABUSE ON JANUARY 6th
ONE OFFICER TOLD ME HE HAD NEVER
IN HIS ENTIRE 40 YEARS OF LIFE
BEEN CALLED A NIGGER TO HIS
FACE
AND THAT STRATEGIC ENDED ON
JANUARY 6th.
YET, ANOTHER BLACK OFFICER LATER
TOLD ME, HE HAD BEEN CONFRONTED
BY INSURRECTIONISTS IN THE
CAPITOL WHO TOLD HIM, PUT YOUR
GUN DOWN AND WELL SHOW YOU WHAT
KIND OF NIGGER YOU REALLY ARE.
TO BE CANDID THE REST OF THE
AFTERNOON IS A BLUR.
BUT I KNOW I WENT THROUGHOUT THE
CAPITOL TO ASSIST OFFICERS
NEEDING AID AND HELP EXPEL MORE
INSURRECTIONISTS
IN THE CRYPT I ENCOUNTERED
SERGEANT GONELL GIVING
ASSISTANCE TO A UNCONSCIOUS
WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN IN THE CROWD
OF RIOTERS ON THE WEST SIDE OF
THE CAPITOL.
I HELPED CARRY HER TO THE AREA
OF THE HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER
OFFICE WHERE SHE WAS
ADMINISTERED CPR
AS THE AFTERNOON WORE ON I WAS
DRAINED PHYSICALLY AND
EMOTIONALLY.
AND IN SHOCK -- IN TOTAL
DISBELIEF OVER WHAT HAD
HAPPENED
ONCE THEABLING WAS CLEARED, I
WENT TO THE ROTUNDA TO RECOVER
WITH OTHER OFFICERS AND SHARE
EXPERIENCES FROM WHAT HAPPENED
THAT AFTERNOON
REPRESENTATIVE RODNEY DAVIS WAS
THERE OFFERING SUPPORT TO
OFFICERS
AND WHEN HE AND I SAW EACH OTHER
HE CAME OVER AND GAVE ME A BIG
HUG.
I SHAT DOWN ON THE BENCH IN THE
ROTUNDA WITH A FRIEND OF MINE
ALSO A BLACK CAPITOL POLICE
OFFICER AND TOLD HIM ABOUT THE
RACIAL SLURS I ENDURED
I BECAME VERY EMOTIONAL AND
BEGAN YELLING HOW THE BLANK
COULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS
HAPPEN
IS THIS AMERICA? I BEGAN SOBBING.
I BEGAN SOBBING.
OFFICERS CAME OVER TO CONSOLE
ME
LATER ON JANUARY 6th, AFTER
ORDER AND SECURITY HAD BEEN
RESTORED IN THE CAPITOL THROUGH
THE HARD WORK AND SACRIFICES OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT, MEMBERS TOOK
THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE TO SPEAK
OUT ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT
DAY.
AMONG THEM WAS HOUSE MINORITY
LEADER KEVIN McCARTHY WHO WITH
MY FELLOW OFFICERS I PROTECTED
THAT DAY AND WILL PROTECT TODAY
AND TOMORROW
I HAD PROTECTED THAT DAY AND
WILL PROTECT TODAY AND TOMORROW.
AND THE MINORITY LEADER TO HIS
GREAT CREDIT SAID THE FOLLOWING
TO THE HOUSE, "THE VIOLENCE,
DESTRUCTION AND CHAOS WE SAW
EARLIER WAS UNACCEPTABLE,
UNDEMOCRATIC AND UNAMERICAN.
IT WAS THE SADDEST DAY I HAVE
EVER HAD SERVING IN THIS
INSTITUTION.
END QUOTE.
MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE,
THE MINORITY LEADER WAS
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
HOW HE DESCRIBED WHAT TOOK PLACE
IN THE CAPITOL
AND FOR THOSE OF US IN THE
CAPITOL POLICE WHO SERVE AND
REVERE THIS INSTITUTION, AND WHO
LOVE THE CAPITOL BUILDING, IT
WAS THE SADDEST DAY FOR US AS
WELL
MORE THAN SIX MONTHS LATER,
JANUARY 6th STILL ISNT OVER FOR
ME
IVE HAD HAD TO AVAIL MYSELF OF
MULTIPLE COUNSELING SESSIONS
FROM THE CAPITOL POLICE
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND NOW
SEARCHING PRIVATE COUNSEL
THERAPY FOR THE PERSISTENT
EMOTIONAL TRAUMA OF THAT DAY
I HAVE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MANY
PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS WITH
FELLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
AROUND THE UNITED STATES
I KNOW SO MANY OFFICERS CONTINUE
TO HURT, PHYSICALLY AND
EMOTIONALLY.
I WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO
SPEAK TO MY FELLOW OFFICERS
ABOUT THE EMOTIONS THEYRE
CONTINUING TO EXPERIENCE FROM
THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6th.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
WRONG WITH SEEKING PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELING
WHAT WE WENT THROUGH THAT DAY
WAS TRAUMATIC.
AND IF YOU ARE HURTING, PLEASE
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COUNSELING
SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO
US
I ALSO RESPECTFULLY ASK THIS
SELECT COMMITTEE REVIEW THE
AVAILABLE RESOURCES -- THE
SERVICES AVAILABLE TO US AND
CONSIDER WHETHER THEY ARE
SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO MEET OUR
NEEDS, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT
TO THE AMOUNT OF LEAVE WE ARE
ALLOWED.
IN CLOSING, WE CAN NEVER AGAIN
ALLOW DEMOCRACY TO BE PUT IN
PERIL.
AS IT WAS ON JANUARY 6th
I THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE
WHAT LED TO DISASTER AT THE
CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6th, WHAT
ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE THAT DAY
AND WHAT STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN
TO PREVENT SUCH AN ATTACK ON OUR
DEMOCRACY FROM EVER HAPPENING
AGAIN.
ALSO, I WANT TO THANK AND
ACKNOWLEDGE MY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS IN BLUE WHO FOUGHT
ALONGSIDE ME ON JANUARY 6th TO
PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY.
EACH OF YOU IS A HERO.
AND IT IS MY HONOR TO SERVE WITH
YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY
ID LIKE TO THANK THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT
THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED THESE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO ME AND MY
PAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO ME AND MY
FELLOW OFFICERS.
DEMOCRACY IS BIG ARE THAN ANY
ONE PERSON AND ANY ONE PARTY
YOU ALL TRIED TO DISRUPT
DEMOCRACY THAT DAY, AND YOU ALL
FAILED
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE