UPDATE: The Washington D.C. Medical examiner released on April 19, 2021 that Officer Sicknick died on January 7 after suffering two strokes.
***Original Post***
Two men have been charged by the Department of Justice after allegedly using a 'dangerous weapon' to assault Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick and C. Edwards. Sicknick was on duty when the U.S. Capitol was breached on January 6, 2021. After returning to the police station, he collapsed and later died. His autopsy and details of the cause of death have not been released.
Pennsylvania man Julian Elie Khater and West Virginia man George Pierre Tanios were arrested over the weekend by FBI agents.
"According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Khater and Tanios were at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and were observed in video footage working together to assault law enforcement officers with an unknown chemical substance by spraying officers directly in the face and eyes. During the investigation, it is alleged that law enforcement discovered video that depicted Khater asking Tanios to 'give me that bear s*it.' Tanios replied, 'Hold on, hold on, not yet, not yet… it’s still early.' Khater then retrieved a canister from Tanios’ backpack and walked through the crowd to within a few steps of the police perimeter," DOJ released Monday. "The video shows Khater with his right arm up high in the air, appearing to be holding a canister in his right hand and aiming it at the officers’ direction while moving his right arm from side to side. The complaint affidavit states that Officers Sicknick, Edwards, and Chapman, who were all standing within a few feet of Khater, each reacted to being sprayed in the face. The officers retreated, bringing their hands to their faces and rushing to find water to wash out their eyes."
"Khater and Tanios are each charged with one count of conspiracy to injure an officer; three counts of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon; one count of civil disorder; one count of obstructing or impeding an official proceeding; one count of physical violence on restricted grounds, while carrying dangerous weapon and resulting in significant bodily injury; and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct, act of physical violence on Capitol grounds," DOJ continued.
The men are not being charged with attempted murder or murder.