The remains of Officer Brian Sicknick are lying in honor in the US Capitol’s Rotunda, less than four weeks after he died after responding to the riot in the building
In an appearance lasting a few minutes, the President and first lady entered the Rotunda, where several US Capitol police officers were stationed including two officers flanking Sicknick’s remains.
Biden placed his hand on the table displaying Sicknick’s remains before he and the first lady each placed their hands over their hearts and Biden crossed himself. The Bidens then stood in front of memorial wreaths before again placing their hands over their hearts and exiting the Rotunda.
The somber ceremonial arrival began at 9:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday at the East Front of the Capitol with Sicknick’s remains arriving in a hearse. A Capitol Police officer carried the box containing his remains up the steps as police officers stood at attention outside the building that had been ransacked by insurrectionists almost a month before.
The viewing for Sicknick began at 10 p.m. and was set to last overnight. A ceremony is set to take place on Wednesday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Friday that Sicknick would lie in honor under the historic dome.
Lying in state is typically reserved for leaders of American government, but two US Capitol Police officers shot to death in 1998 were the first private citizens to lie in honor at the Capitol.
Sicknick’s family released a statement on Saturday thanking “congressional leadership for bestowing this historic honor on our fallen American hero.”
“We also wish to express our appreciation to the millions of people who have offered their support and sympathies during this difficult time. Knowing our personal tragedy and loss is shared by our nation brings hope for healing,” the statement said.
Multiple lawmakers had called for Sicknick to be honored at the Capitol, and two Republicans from South Carolina had introduced a bill that would allow him to lie in the Rotunda before his burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
Sicknick’s ceremonial rest at the Capitol comes as investigators are struggling to build a federal murder case, vexed by a lack of evidence that could prove someone caused his death as he defended the Capitol during last month’s insurrection.
Authorities have reviewed video and photographs that show Sicknick engaging with rioters amid the siege but have yet to identify a moment in which he suffered his fatal injuries, law enforcement officials familiar with the matter said.
Soon after Sicknick died on January 7, prosecutors in Washington opened a federal murder investigation, dedicating a team inside the US attorney’s office to build out a case, authorities have said.
CNN’s Peter Nickeas, Ryan Nobles, Ali Zaslav, Ralph Ellis, Evan Perez, David Shortell and Whitney Wild contributed to this report.
