To date, three Capitol policemen, who fought bravely against a violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6, in an illegal bid to overturn the November 2020 elections, have committed suicide. Gunther Hashida who is a DC Metropolitan Officer, took his own life on July 29, six months after the insurrection.
Metropolitan Department spokesperson Kristen Metzger told CNN in a statement that Officer Gunther, who was assigned to the Emergency Response Team within the Special Operations Division, had been “found deceased at his residence on Thursday, July 29.”
Metzger also said that the officer had joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 2003 and had responded to the Capitol on January 6. The statement concluded saying that they were grieving as a Department and that their thoughts and prayers were with Officer Hashida’s family and friends.
His family announced his death on a GoFundMe account. They did not say how he had killed himself nor did they say that his death was due to the January 6 riot. The Metropolitan Police in Washington DC had also confirmed his death of the 43-year-old cop.
The description on his GoFundMe page by his sister-in-law said that he worked to serve and protect the public in his job as an officer with the DC Metropolitan Police Department. It also that he was a devoted and loving husband and father. It also stated that the fund would be used for his memorial service. It would also help support his family as they had lost his love and guidance.
The target set by the page is $50,000. It has collected $11,000 as of now.
So far three police officers who faced the Capitol rioters have committed suicide. They are
- S. Capitol Police Officer Howard Leibengood
- DC Police officer Jeffrey Smith
- DC Police Officer Hashida
Multiple officers have told lawmakers in both the House and the Senate that they suffered from both physical and psychological pain after the attack. They also said that they suffered from PTSD. One officer had also said that it pained them to see so many people for whom he put his life at risk to defend were downplaying or outright denying the event.
Over 100 officers were injured when a violent pro-Trump mob overran the Capitol on January 6. They risked their lives as well as their future physical and mental wellbeing to save the lives of the congresspersons. Many of the GOP congresspersons have been scuttling bipartisan efforts to thoroughly investigate the horrific January 6 riot, which will not be easily forgotten by the nation, how much ever these lawmakers try.
Image- Marco Verch