A second U.S. Capitol police officer who was assigned to protect the Senate has died by suicide.
Capitol Police did not link Howard Liebengood’s death while off duty to Wednesday’s insurrection on Capitol Hill, in their statement on Sunday. They also did not provide a cause of death.
Advertisement
“The United States Capitol Police is deeply saddened by the off-duty death on January 9, 2021, of Officer Howard Liebengood,” USCP said. “He was assigned to the Senate Division, and has been with the Department since April 2005. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.”
Former police chief Terrance Gainer confirmed that Liebengood died by suicide on Saturday.
The Capitol Police union said Liebengood, 51 “was among the officers who responded to the rioting at the U.S. Capitol” on Wednesday. Officer Libengood’s father served as the sergeant-at-arms of the Senate from 1981 to 1983, according to the New York Times.
Advertisement
The news of Liebengood’s death comes days after USCP Officer Brian Sicknick died from injuries he sustained during the siege on Wednesday after confronting supporters of Donald Trump storming the Capitol.
