Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA-08) issued the following statement on the deaths of Metropolitan Police Department Officers Kyle DeFreytag and Gunther Hashida, both of whom reportedly died of suicide months after responding to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“I mourn the passing of Officers DeFreytag and Hashida,” said Beyer, “They, and all of the officers who defended the Capitol and our democracy on Jan. 6, are heroes and deserve our thanks. It is increasingly clear that many of those who put their lives at risk to protect the Capitol that day are still suffering from both physical and mental wounds.”
Officers DeFreytag and Hashida are the third and fourth police officers to die by suicide in connection with the January 6 attack. The deaths of U.S. Capitol Police Officers Howie Liebengood and MPD Officer Jeffrey Smith were confirmed earlier this year.
Smith and DeFreytag resided in Beyer’s Northern Virginia district, as did fallen U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.
We encourage anyone in crisis to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741.
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