The last official word we’d heard about the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, after the New York Times issued a correction to its reporting that he was bludgeoned with a fire extinguisher by a rioter January 6, was nothing: FBI Director Christopher Wray refused to disclose the cause of Sicknick’s death before a Senate committee back on March 2. Soon after, two men were arrested for assaulting Sicknick, but not charged with his murder.
Now we’re hearing that Sicknick died of natural causes after the storming of the Capitol, suffering two strokes.
#BREAKING: Officer Sicknick had two strokes, died of natural causes after Capitol riot https://t.co/VBONCoSqZY pic.twitter.com/Sg1A7pKyzI
— The Hill (@thehill) April 19, 2021
There had been speculation that perhaps Sicknick’s death was attributable to being hit with bear spray, but that theory doesn’t seem to have panned out. The Hill reports:
The D.C. chief medical examiner has ruled that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes the day after he took part in defending the Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots, The Washington Post reported on Monday.
…
Medical examiner Francisco J. Diaz, in an interview with the Post, said that Sicknick’s autopsy did not find any evidence that the 42-year-old officer suffered an allergic reaction to the chemical substance, which Diaz said would have caused Sicknick’s throat to seize.
Diaz also said there were no indications of internal or external injuries.
You might remember that PolitiFact, which had no clue how Sicknick died, did a post anyway on how conservative activists had “seized” upon the mystery surrounding the officer’s death.
The medical experts on Twitter seem to think the stress of the riot caused the strokes, although in text messages sent after the attack, Sicknick had said he was fine:
Recommended
Lol. I’m sure the high stress situation had absolutely nothing to do with it.
— Bekah (@rebekahkfreitas) April 19, 2021
Gee and I wonder what could have influenced the two strokes to occur on that day in particular? ?
— Astrusie (@Astrusie1) April 19, 2021
I have a hard time accepting that stress of one isn’t related to the other.
— Derek (@DarthImpervious) April 19, 2021
What stressful event was occurring around him that could explain suffering two strokes?
— Chris B (@ChrisBEsq) April 19, 2021
sure but the interaction and stress most likely triggered the strokes
— Omnis✊?????️ (@ultra5lice) April 19, 2021
How is two strokes… “natural causes”
— Drea (@drealuv1344) April 19, 2021
How is death from multiple assaults "natural".
— Patriot??KIDDOmdg (@Clancy_Dew) April 19, 2021
So what you’re saying is that if he was at home eating ice cream he still would have died at that moment…..GTFOH!
— WHISTLEBLOWER (@ScandalWines) April 19, 2021
I doubt it’s “natural” to have multiple strokes after what occurred at the Capitol riots.
— ?????? (@Philminator) April 19, 2021
Ummm, yeah no. What brought on the strokes???? The “natural” insurrection????
— dawn (@threesunrises) April 19, 2021
Two strokes brought on by . . . . . . . .? pic.twitter.com/x9vtpea56e
— Sally?Sunshine????? (@JSallySunshine) April 19, 2021
Natural causes, but would they have happened on that day had the riot not occurred..
— Joseph Middleton (@SquirtLagurski) April 19, 2021
Would strokes have occurred January 6 in absence of the insurrectionist attack on the Capitol?
— Matty (@midsouthdiva) April 19, 2021
Getting hit in the head by a fire extinguisher tends to cause strokes.
— JoeVet is Fully Vaccinated (@joevettweets) April 19, 2021
Sure, he would have had two strokes if he'd been walking around a quiet Capitol building. ?
— CharM (@Vladdiefan) April 19, 2021
You will never convince me they were not brought on by the events of January 6.
— Veronica (@VeronicaTellsIt) April 19, 2021
There’s no point trying, then, is there?
@thehill this head line is disrespectful to all capitol police. The murderous mob attacked the officer causing the loss of life. Shame on you for publishing rot.
— heather holeman (@hlholeman) April 19, 2021
The loss of Ashli Babbitt’s life, yes; let’s not overlook her.
next time I have a medical episode, I won't need to see a doctor. everyone in this thread seems to know more than doctors, so what's the point of doctors
— Pete Townes (@petetownes72) April 19, 2021
A good point:
Democrats used fabricated evidence on Sicknick's death in their impeachment trial writing in a pre-trial memo: "Insurrectionists killed a Capitol police officer by striking him in the head with a fire extinguisher.” https://t.co/1kggQLsVbj
— Tristan Justice (@JusticeTristan) April 19, 2021
Fact-check: True.
Related:
PolitiFact notes that conservative activists have ‘seized’ on the mystery surrounding Brian Sicknick’s death https://t.co/MBpBFgPvSN
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 23, 2021
Join the conversation as a VIP Member