FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the agency is not ready to reveal the cause of death for Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who is counted as one of the victims of the Jan. 6 pro-Trump attack on the U.S. Capitol.

South River native Sicknick collapsed and died following the riot when a mob interrupted the electoral count after then-President Donald Trump urged supporters on the National Mall to “fight like hell” to overturn his defeat.

The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that Sicknick, who died the next day, was injured “while physically engaging with protesters.”

Wray, who was former Gov. Chris Christie's personal attorney during the Bridgegate  investigation, told the committee that “we're not at a point where we can disclose or confirm the cause of death" when asked for an update on the investigation into Sicknick's death.

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Investigators say they have zeroed in on a suspect, who appears to have sprayed a chemical substance, possibly bear spray, on Sicknick before he collapsed. Authorities, however, have not publicly identified the suspect and the act hasn’t been directly tied to Sicknick’s death, two people familiar with the case told The Associated Press.

The AP earlier reported that he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher but law enforcement sources said that now appears less likely.

Sicknick's mother told the Daily Mail that she believes her son died of a stroke but "we don't know anything for sure."

 

(Includes material copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

New Jersey residents charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot (in alphabetical order)

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