US Capitol invasion: Third police officer commits suicide

A third police officer, Gunther Hashida, who responded to the January 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol, has died by suicide, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in the District of Columbia said on Monday.

Department spokesperson, Hugh Carew, confirmed in a statement to New York Daily News that Hashida, an 18-year veteran on the force, was found dead at his residence on Thursday.

The statement read, “We’re grieving as a department and our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Hashida’s family and friends.”

Hashida’s death is the third reported suicide of an officer who responded to the siege.

Recall that Capitol police officer, Howie Liebengood, and MPD officer Jeffrey Smith also died by suicide days after the attack.

Smith took his life “in the aftermath of that battle”, while Liebengood committed suicide three days after the deadly uprising by Trump supporters.