WASHINGTON, D.C. – Days after the protest within the U.S. Capitol building where one police officer was murdered and an unarmed California woman involved in the riot inside the building was shot by Capitol police officers, another Capitol police officer has reportedly committed suicide.
Today, the department announced 51-year-old Howard Leibengood has died in an unrelated off-duty death. It is not clear what involvement if any Leibengold had during Wednesday’s unrest. Some media outlets are linking Leigbengood’s death to the uprising in the capital last week, but the U.S. Capitol Police Department denied those allegations, saying his death was an “off-duty death”.
“The United States Capitol Police is deeply saddened by the off-duty death on January 9, 2021, of Officer Howard Liebengood, age 51. He was assigned to the Senate Division and has been with the Department since April 2005. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and colleagues,” the department said. “We ask that his family and other USCP officers’ and their families’ privacy be respected during this profoundly difficult time.”
On Thursday, United States Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick passed away due to injuries sustained while on-duty during the chaos as it unfolded in the Capitol building.
“Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol and was injured while physically engaging with protesters,” the department said. ” He returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The death of Officer Sicknick will be investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, the USCP, and our federal partners. ”
Officer Sicknick joined the USCP in July 2008, and most recently served in the Department’s First Responder’s Unit.