“I’m supposed to die first… Not my son.” Those are the heartbreaking words of Charles Sicknick, the father of slain Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick. He hopes that his son’s death at the Capitol riots will lead to an end to the “lunacy.”
Former President Trump never contacted the family.
Sicknick spoke with Reuters and said that it had been his son’s lifelong dream to become a Capitol Police Officer. The elder Sicknick said of his son, “He loved his job… I’ll never get over this.”
Sicknick was part of the officers defending the Capitol as the violent group pushed through the police line and into the building after President Trump gave a speech that encouraged his supporters to come to the capitol to protest the certification of President-elect Biden’s victory.
The disturbing story of how Sicknick was reportedly beaten with a fire extinguisher has been reported by both The New York Times and The Associated Press, and have cited law enforcement officials who gave details. The Capitol Police released a statement that said he had been injured at the scene and then collapsed upon returning to his office.
His family also released the following statement:
There really aren’t enough kind words in any language to describe how sweet Brian was. He was truly a lovely, humble soul. We are missing him terribly. He was sweet natured through and through. Everyone who met him adored him. He also loved his dachshunds dearly, spoiling them, and ensuring they got the best care possible. He loved his job with the U.S. Capitol Police, and was very passionate about it. He also had an incredible work ethic. He was very serious about showing up to work on time and refused to call out sick unless absolutely necessary. Our loss of Brian will leave a large hole in our hearts. The tremendous support we have received from the U.S. Capitol Police, the law enforcement community, and the community as a whole has been overwhelmingly warm and generous. We’re very grateful for everyone’s kindness during this difficult time. We will have no further statements and will not be granting media interviews. We ask that our family’s privacy be respected during this time.
Sicknick’s father said that his son died due to blood clot in his brain and that “if they had operated on him, he would’ve become a vegetable.”
Brian Sicknick’s first assignment as a Capitol officer was to protect President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration. Although he was a Trump supporter, his father said, “he just got along real well with everybody because he was a gentleman.”
His father added, “If any good comes out of my son’s death, I just hope that it stops all the lunacy that’s been going on in this country.”
Sicknick stated that both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence had both called him the day after his son’s death to offer their condolences. Officials reported that then-President-elect Biden called Brian Sicknick’s brother on Sunday.
Former President Trump never contacted the family.
