Acting D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee revealed Tuesday to the House Appropriations Committee that a second Capitol Police Officer, Jeffrey Smith, has committed suicide in the aftermath of the riots in the Capitol building on January 6.
“Tragically, two officers who were at the Capitol on January 6th, one each from the Capitol Police and MPD, took their own lives in the aftermath of that battle,” Contee told the committee. “We honor the service and sacrifices of Officers Brian Sicknick, Howard Liebengood and Jeffrey Smith, and offer condolences to all the grieving families.”
The D.C. Metropolitan Police has said they will not comment further on Smith’s suicide.
Contee’s statement is the first of several to the House Appropriation Committee before former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. The impeachment charge was officially delivered to the Senate floor last week.
Contee estimated more than $8.8 million in damages were done to the Capitol building as a result of the riots as well as 65 reported injuries to D.C. Metro Police Officers. According to Contee, “many more sustained injuries from the assault – scratches, bruises, eyes burning from bear mace – that they did not even bother to report.”
Police Union Chairman Gus Papathanasiou went even further saying, “Between USCP and our colleagues at the Metropolitan Police Department, we have almost 140 officers injured. I have officers who were not issued helmets prior to the attack who have sustained brain injuries. One officer has two cracked ribs and two smashed spinal discs. One officer is going to lose his eye, and another was stabbed with a metal fence stake.”
