Washington D.C. Metropolitan police officer Michael Fanone who was beaten, tased and subsequently suffered a heart attack during the events of January 6 condemned lawmakers on Tuesday night who are whitewashing the deadly insurrection.
Fanone said in an interview with CNN’s Don Lemon that he is experiencing “PTSD and emotional trauma” in the months since January 6.
Fanone was dragged from the police line into the crowd of Trump supporters on January 6 and beaten by the mob. He said at one point protesters took his gun and he remembers someone yelling to kill him with his own gun.
“It’s been very difficult seeing elected officials and other individuals kind of whitewash the events of that day or downplay what happened,” Fanone said.
He did not mention Trump but referenced comments he made in a Fox News interview months after the riot claiming that his supporters were peaceful and were “hugging and kissing” police officers.
Fanone said Trump’s characterization is very different from what he and his co-workers experienced that day. “I experienced a group of individuals that were trying to kill me to accomplish their goal,” he said while getting very emotional.
“I experienced the most brutal, savage hand to hand combat of my entire life. Let alone my policing career, which spans almost two decades,” Fanone said. “They just started attacking me from all directions. It was overwhelming. I felt like they were trying to kill me.”
