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WASHINGTON (KTRK) — Officers who said they experienced physical, verbal and sometimes racist attacks during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 gave gripping, emotional and gut-wrenching testimonies in Washington.
On Tuesday, frontline officers gave firsthand accounts of the Capitol riot and their narrative was disheartening.
“I was more afraid to work at the Capitol than my entire deployment in Iraq,” said Sgt. Aquilino Gonell.
Shocking new body camera footage showed more of the danger they faced from that violent day.
“I was electrocuted again, and again, and again with a Taser. The indifference shown to my colleague is disgraceful,” Officer Michael Fanone said.
“Until then, I have never seen anyone physically assault Capitol police or [the Metropolitan Police Department], let alone witness mass assaults being perpetrated on law enforcement officers,” Officer Harry Dunn added.
Now, mental health experts warn that trauma is not only real for those officers, but also for those who watch the hearing.
“People, yes, who watch its coverage on television … [it’s] a real thing. I think we’ve seen that with respect to the pandemic and yes, it is possible that this can be triggering,” said Chief Medical Correspondent Jennifer Ashton. “So, people who are struggling, and people who have a history of mental health, or you feel like you’re having mental difficulty with this or any other situation, please, please seek professional help.”
Some officers said they even endured racial slurs from those among the mob.
“One woman in the pink [Make America Great Again] shirt yelled, ‘You hear that guys? This n****r voted for Joe Biden,” recalled Dunn.