Two Capitol Police Officers Sue Trump Over Jan. 6 Riot: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — Two U.S. Capitol Police officers are suing former President Donald Trump for injuries they say they sustained during the violent Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol.

Officers James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby filed the federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, The Washington Post reported. In the suit, the officers allege that Trump rallied insurrectionists with baseless election fraud claims, which resulted in the breach of the Capitol that left five dead, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick.

“Both United States Capitol Police Officers reported for duty on January 6, 2021, without any suspicion that they would soon become the targets of Trump’s followers,” the suit states. “The insurrectionist mob, which Trump had inflamed, encouraged, incited, directed, and aided and abetted, forced its way over and past the plaintiffs and their fellow officers, pursuing and attacking them inside and outside the United States Capitol, and causing the injuries."

The officers are each seeking compensatory damages of at least $75,000 and an undisclosed amount in punitive damages from Trump, the Post reported.

The lawsuit stems from the riot that followed a speech made by Trump, during which he repeated false claims about the November 2020 election and urged supporters to march to the Capitol and "fight like hell."

The former president faced an unprecedented second impeachment over his incitement of the riot. He was acquitted by the Senate in a 57-43 vote.

About 140 D.C. and Capitol police officers were injured, the Post reported. Two other officers on duty that day later died by suicide.