A cloud of colored smoke appears as a mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, January 6, 2021.
Leah Millis | Reuters
Authorities have arrested and charged two men with assaulting Brian Sicknick, the police officer who died as a result of the Jan. 6 pro-Trump invasion of the U.S. Capitol, NBC News reported Monday.
The men, who were arrested Sunday and are expected to appear in federal court later Monday, are not currently charged with killing Sicknick, NBC reported.
Julian Elie Khater, 32, of Pennsylvania, and 39-year-old George Pierre Tanios of West Virginia are accused of assaulting Sicknick with a substance similar to bear spray, according to NBC.
The arrests were first reported by The Washington Post earlier Monday morning.
A US Capitol Police Officer holds a program as people pay their respects at the remains of US Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick as he lays in honor in the Rotunda of the US Capitol building on February 3, 2021, in Washington, DC.
Demetrius Freeman | AFP | Getty Images
Video footage of Khater and Tanios on Jan. 6 shows the two men “were working in concert and had a plan to use the toxic spray against law enforcement,” according to a search warrant affidavit in West Virginia federal court, NBC reported.
“Give me that bear s—,” Khater said before reaching into Tanios’ backpack, the affidavit alleges, citing “open source media video” of the incident.
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