A third Washington, D.C. area police officer who responded to the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6 has died by suicide, the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed.
CNN reports that Officer Gunther Hashida, who joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 2003, was found dead in his home on Thursday, July 29. "Officer Gunther Hashida, assigned to the Emergency Response Team within the Special Operations Division, was found deceased in his residence on Thursday, July 29," said MPD spokesperson Kristen Metzger.
Hashida was among the countless officers who responded to the storming of the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, and he’s the third known officer to die by suicide after responding to the attack. 12-year Metropolitan Police officer Jeffrey Smith died by suicide earlier this year, as did 16-year Capitol Police veteran Howard Liebengood. A Senate report into the events of Jan. 6 deduced that Smith and Liebengood “ultimately lost their lives” after the attack.
"We are grieving as a Department and our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Hashida's family and friends," added Metzger.
The news of Hashida’s death comes a week after officers who responded to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol recalled the experiences of that day. Tearfully, Capitol officer Harry Dunn said that he was drained "both physically and emotionally, and in shock and disbelief over what had happened," and that he was the target of racial slurs during his duty. "It just hurts that we have people in this country that result to that regardless of your actions and what you desire to do to make a difference out there."
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat. If there is an immediate risk of self-harm, call 911.
