Michael Fanone told that he believed he was going to die after he was assaulted and struck with a Taser device at the base of his skull, resulting in a heart attack and traumatic brain injury.
A police officer on duty during the riots at the US Capitol described it as a “medieval war scene” in which he was battered, tasered, and then suffered a heart attack.
Michael Fanone told that he feared for his life after becoming separated from his colleagues and being “hit in every direction” during the riots on January 6, 2021.
The former officer believes that the committee hearings probing the riots are essential for determining the core cause of the violence and determining whether former president Donald Trump was involved.
The committee has amassed an astonishing amount of information regarding the riots, including transcripts of over one thousand interviews and millions of additional documents. Today will be the final hearing, and the final report is expected in December.
Mr. Fanone, recalling the events of the day of the riots, states that he and his partner, Jimmy Albright, headed for the Capitol building after hearing distress calls from police officers already on the scene.
“We made our way to the lower west terrace, the place where the president-elect exits the Capitol and onto the inaugural stage to take the oath of office,” he told.
The climax of the violence that day occurred at this area, were forty or fifty DC police officers and several US Capitol police officers attempted to prevent thousands of outraged insurrectionists from entering the Capitol complex.
“It was perhaps as wide as four or five policemen standing side-by-side and between 200 and 250 feet long, and these officers were battling for their life.
“When I arrived, they had been fighting for around 90 minutes. I observed that my colleagues were exhausted and injured, and as I had just arrived, I believed I was still in good condition to advance.
“Chemical agents, CS gas, and bear spray were used against us, along with a variety of weapons, including aluminum baseball bats, metal rods, scaffolding, riot shields, and other police weapons that had been taken from policemen. Additionally, guns were present.
“There was much screaming and shouting. It was essentially body against body, with officers pressing against the rioters in an attempt to shove or force them out of the tunnel entrance.
“If you can imagine a rugby scrum, that’s how it was, with officers shoulder to shoulder and rioters pressing against us; it was like a medieval fight.” A credit card could not be slipped between two people.
“The only equipment I had with me, outside my job belt and service weapon, was a helmet and a face-covering riot shield.
“I was dragged from the police line into the crowd, where I was battered and Tasered in the base of my skull.” This is very agonizing, especially when repeated in rapid succession. I experienced a heart attack and serious brain injury as a result.
Mr. Fanone said, “I recall being struck from all directions with fists and metal things while in a throng once. I do recall shouting that I had children in an attempt to appeal to the humanity of some persons in the audience, and at that moment I was being shot with a Taser weapon.
“All I could think about was how to endure the predicament. I considered utilizing lethal force (weapon), but I quickly realized that it would not likely result in my survival. There were thousands of rioters, and there is a precise protocol governing the use of lethal force.
“While I may have been authorized to use deadly force against some of those individuals, there was a chance that certain people whom I had no intention of using force against would be hurt or killed. I was also concerned about having my firearm confiscated.
“I chose to attempt to appeal to people’s humanity by employing psychological warfare and stating, ‘I have children.’ A few of the demonstrators did offer me aid.
“Other rioters fought with them for the ability to continue assaulting me, so it was a strange dynamic for a few minutes until I was rescued by my coworkers.”
Mr. Fanone, age 42, said he feared for his life as soon as he witnessed the scenario at the Capitol.
He stated, “When I entered into the tunnel for the first time, I believed there was a significant possibility that this situation was considerably more dangerous than I had anticipated and that I would likely lose my life.”
A former police officer and current law enforcement expert testified before the House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol.
Before the final session, Mr. Fanone, author of “Hold the Line,” stated, “The hearings are crucial because we need an investigation, not merely into the criminality committed, but also into the core reasons of January 6th.
“Was there coordination with elected members of our government, Trump administration officials, or the former president himself?”
“I don’t know whether you can alter everyone’s view about the truth of that day and who was guilty, but you can ensure that those who breached the law are appropriately punished.
The rule of law is the great equalizer, which is why our republic is founded on it.
