US arrests 2 for attacking officer dead in Capitol riot

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Two men were arrested and charged for their alleged assault of US Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick who died in the Jan. 6 riots, Justice Department announced Monday.

Julian Elie Khater, 32, from Pennsylvania, and George Pierre Tanios, 39, from West Virginia were arrested on Sunday and face eight counts related to the deadly Capitol riot.

Khater and Tanios could be seen in riot footage "working together to assault law enforcement officers with an unknown chemical substance by spraying officers directly in the face and eyes," according to an FBI affidavit filed in the court.

Each of them is "charged with one count of conspiracy to injure an officer; three counts of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon; one count of civil disorder; one count of obstructing or impeding an official proceeding; one count of physical violence on restricted grounds, while carrying a dangerous weapon and resulting in significant bodily injury; and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct, act of physical violence on Capitol grounds," the department said in a statement.

Sicknick was among five people who lost their lives when former President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol building in an attempt to thwart a constitutionally-mandated procedure before President Joe Biden assumed office.