Federal authorities have charged two men with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the Jan. 6 riot, the Justice Department announced Monday.
Julian Elie Khater, 32 of Pennsylvania, and George Pierre Tanos, 39, of West Virginia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to injure an officer, three counts of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon and a slew of minor trespassing charges.
Sicknick died one day after responding to the Capitol riot, during which supporters of former President Donald Trump violently stormed the building in protest of Trump’s loss in the November presidential election.
While the two suspects charged Monday are accused of assaulting the officer, they do not face charges related to his death.
Prosecutors said they have video footage of Mr. Khater telling Mr. Tanios, “Give me that bear s—-,” with Mr. Tanios replying, “..it’s still early,” according to court documents.
About nine minutes later, Mr. Khater then retrieves a canister from Mr. Tanios’ backpack and appears to aim it at three Capitol Police officers, including Sicknick, prosecutors said. All three officers react to being sprayed in the face, according to court documents.
Mr. Khater was arrested at Newark Airport in New Jersey while Mr. Tanios was arrested at his home in West Virginia.
Sicknick’s cause of death has not been released and no one has been charged in relation to his death.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.