US Capitol Police Department Mourns 2nd Death After Officer Howard Liebengood Dies Off-Duty In Wake of Attack

Children get fingerprinted by Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood
Photo By Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty ImagesPhoto By Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images

An officer that responded on the front lines of Wednesday's assault on the U.S. Capitol died a few days after, the Capitol police confirmed to CBS News. Officer Howard Liebengood, at age 51, died while off-duty on Saturday.

An officer that responded on the front lines of Wednesday's assault on the U.S. Capitol died a few days after, Capitol police confirmed to CBS News. Officer Howard Liebengood, 51, died while off-duty on Saturday. The police union chairman called it a "tragic day."

"We are reeling from the death of Officer Liebengood. Every Capitol Police Officer puts the security of others before their own safety and Officer Liebengood was an example of the selfless service that is the hallmark of USCP," Capitol police union chairman Gus Papathanasiou said in a statement.

Liebengood has been in the department for 15 years. He most recently worked in the Senate division. He is also the son of Sergeant Arms Howard S. Liebengood, who died in 2005, according to the Daily Beast.

This loss marks the second death of a USCP Officer in the span of two days, Pathanasiou acknowledged in his statement. Officer Brian Sicknick died Thursday evening from injuries he sustained while on-duty during the Capitol assault last Wednesday. A third officer, Eric Marshall, died on Jan. 2 after battling cancer.

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