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Recently released footage shows the brutal assault and terrifying circumstances that a Capitol police officer faced two weeks prior to his suicide.
The body camera recording of Officer Jeff Smith exposes the terrifying truth of the events that took place within the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
The video shows the officer being bombarded with both physical and verbal assaults from the rioters.
The monument is surrounded by people shouting and huddled against the walls, while officers walk past.
A female individual tells Smith, “Find a legitimate job. We no longer endorse your actions.”
There is someone outside shouting over and over again: “You support criminals! You support criminals!”
Another individual, donning a sweatshirt with the words “Make America Great Again,” adds in a loud voice: “Their purpose is not to safeguard the citizens. They are here to shield a group of immoral child abusers and dishonest politicians!”
The Capitol Police officers have been observed engaging in several physical altercations.
During the incident, the officer is observed in a physical altercation, being thrown into a group of individuals. One person seizes his baton and starts wielding it against him.
Soon after the altercation, another officer inquires about Smith’s well-being, asking “Are you alright, Smith?” as he takes a brief pause to regain composure. Smith then retrieves his helmet and resumes his responsibilities.
Afterwards, Smith can be heard conversing with another officer, expressing disbelief that the doors of the Capitol do not lock while they attempt to remove rioters from the premises.
He inquires, “The US Capitol doesn’t have a way to lock the door?”
The other police officer reported that the rioters damaged the hinge while entering the building.
During the riot, Smith was struck by a metal pole that was thrown through the air at some point.
In the bodycam video, he can be heard saying that he was struck in the face by a piece of metal.
Erin Smith, widow of Washington Metropolitan Police Department officer Jeffrey Smith, US Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell and Sandra Garza, the long-time partner of fallen Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, hold hands as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack
(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Smith committed suicide two weeks after the traumatic event. Although medical professionals stated that he did not have a history of depression, a medical examiner determined that his cause of death was “post-concussion syndrome.”
One of the four Capitol Police officers, Smith, committed suicide after the attack.
Erin Smith, the widow of her deceased husband, expressed that he became increasingly distant, angry, short-tempered, and not his usual self before his passing.
His behavior was not typical of him.
Newly revealed recordings have been released by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who stated on November 17th that the majority of the footage will be accessible on the Committee of House Administration’s website. This includes over 40,000 hours of footage documenting the chaotic events of the January 6th riot.
If you are struggling with distress or coping, you can contact Samaritans at 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit their website for local branch information. For immediate mental health assistance in the USA, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), a free and confidential crisis hotline available 24/7. If you are in a different country, you can find a helpline near you at www.befrienders.org.
Source: the-independent.com
