Rep. Watson Coleman Honors Fallen Officer Brian Sicknick, USCP and DC Metro Police Who Defended Capitol on January 6th

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 6, 2022) — Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) attended the Congressional Gold Medal award ceremony for the law enforcement officers who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Among the officers receiving the award was Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after suffering two strokes the day after the insurrection.  

A native of New Jersey’s 12th District, Sicknick was born in New Brunswick and attended East Brunswick Technical High School. He served his state and country in the New Jersey Air National Guard before joining the Capitol Police. Sicknick leaves behind his parents, his two brothers, and his longtime girlfriend.  

Following the ceremony, Congresswoman Watson Coleman issued the following statement: 

“As domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol on January 6, my colleagues and I feared we would not return to work on January 7. For me and many others, the trauma of that day still weighs heavily upon our minds, bodies, and souls. However, I find solace in the fact that ultimately, democracy endured.   

“January 6, 2021 marked the single greatest attack on American democracy since the Civil War. And just as it did after Lee surrendered at Appomattox, freedom prevailed over oppression. Without the valor and sacrifice of our Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers, we may have seen a very different outcome. 

“In no uncertain terms, the valiant officers who protected the Capitol that day are heroes. I thank each and every officer who risked everything in service of our nation. My heart goes out to the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, including New Jersey native Brian Sicknick. After sustaining injuries in the line of duty, Officer Sicknick sadly passed away the day after the assault on the Capitol. 

“The Congressional Gold Medal is the United States’ highest civilian honor. In our nation’s 250-year history, only 173 have been awarded. In receiving this award, Officer Sicknick and his law enforcement colleagues join the ranks of such giants as Rosa Parks, Raoul Wallenberg, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These brave men and women are defenders of democracy in the most literal sense of the phrase. I am eternally grateful for their service and will be forever in their debt.”