Acting Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said U.S. Capitol Police Officers told him that last week’s riot in the Capitol “was scarier” than their time in combat during the Iraq War.
A mob of supporters for President Donald Trump breached the Capitol last week in an attempt to stop the congressional certification for President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral victory. Five individuals died as a result of the riot, including Ashli Babbit, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, who was shot by law enforcement.
Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick also reportedly died after being injured “while physically engaging with protesters.”
“I have 56 officers and counting that were injured in some way, shape, form or fashion …not just for their lives, but for the democracy of this country,” Contee said at a news conference Monday.
“I have talked to officers, who have done two tours in Iraq and said that this was scarier to them than their time in combat. So I think that really just kind of speaks to the level of concern that we have, as a city, as a government,” he continued.
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Contee goes on to cite a video showing an officer being crushed in between a door as rioters attempted to breach the main entrance of the Capitol Building, adding he “had the opportunity to speak to him the other day.” (RELATED: Joe Scarborough Says Trump Supporters Found A New Religion In Conspiracy Theories)
Speaking of the rioters, Contee said, “These were people who were very determined to come into our capitol building and really do some harm. And they did.”