Trump Falsely Claims No One Died in Jan. 6 Capitol Attack

In fact, four of his supporters died in the crowd that day, and others died within days.

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Supporters of then President Trump breach the Capital building and are met with teargas, on January 6, 2021.

Former President Donald J. Trump claimed at his news conference on Thursday that no one died during the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But, in fact, four of his own supporters in the crowd that day died of various causes — and others, including a Capitol Police officer, died within days.

Among those who were killed on Jan. 6 itself was Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran who was shot by the police while trying to force her way into the chambers of the House of Representatives. Ms. Babbitt, who came under the influence of the QAnon conspiracy group, was trying to push her way through a door of the Speaker’s Lobby when an officer fatally shot her.

The Justice Department ultimately decided not to pursue charges against the officer, Michael Byrd. But Ms. Babbitt’s family has sued the government on her behalf in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Washington.

Three other Trump supporters died during the attack. Rosanne Boyland, a Georgia woman, suffered an amphetamine overdose, according to the Washington medical examiner’s office, and then was trampled in the crush of her fellow rioters who were pressing at police lines.

Kevin D. Greeson, 55, died of a heart attack, collapsing on the sidewalk west of the Capitol. And Benjamin Philips, the founder of a pro-Trump website called Trumparoo, died of a stroke.

One day after the attack, a Capitol Police officer, Brian M. Sicknick, died. The authorities initially said that Officer Sicknick, who had been sprayed with chemical spray while protecting the Capitol, had died “due to injuries sustained while on-duty.” The medical examiner later found that he had suffered two strokes and had died of natural causes, noting, however, that the stress of being in the riot had still played some role in his death.

At least four Capitol Police officers killed themselves in the weeks and months that followed Jan. 6. In response, Congress passed a bipartisan law extending a public benefits program for the families of public safety officers who were killed or severely injured in the line of duty so that it also covered those who died by suicide or suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Altogether, about 150 officers were injured in the Capitol attack, with some describing it in court and at other public hearings as a “medieval” battle with rioters who wielded hockey sticks, two-by-fours, batons and even flagpoles against them.

Alan Feuer covers extremism and political violence for The Times, focusing on the criminal cases involving the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and against former President Donald J. Trump. More about Alan Feuer

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