On the afternoon of January 6, 2021, a violent confrontation unfolded at the U.S. Capitol's Lower West Terrace Tunnel, where law enforcement officers faced relentless attacks from rioters attempting to enter the building.
The Tunnel Confrontation
As the day progressed toward evening, police managed to secure some previously breached entrances, but hundreds of individuals continued their assault on the tunnel leading to the inaugural stage. This narrow passage became the focal point of intense physical combat.
Sergeant Aquilino Gonell of the U.S. Capitol Police described the scene: "The rioters were vicious and relentless. We found ourselves in a violent battle in a desperate attempt to prevent a breach of the Capitol by the entrance near the inauguration stage."
Officer Michael Fanone of the Metropolitan Police Department recalled: "The fighting in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel was nothing short of brutal. Here I observed approximately 30 police officers standing shoulder to shoulder, maybe four or five abreast, using the weight of their own bodies to hold back the onslaught of violent attackers. Many of these officers were injured, bleeding and fatigued. But they continued to hold the line."
Desperate Defense
The confined space of the tunnel, measuring approximately 10 feet wide, created challenging conditions for both defenders and attackers. Officers formed multiple rows, pushing against the advancing crowd in what became a prolonged struggle.
Detective Phuson Nguyen of the Metropolitan Police Department explained: "Officers shoulder to shoulder lined up by rows, and the demonstrators were trying to push in, and we were trying to push back. Initially, we're just pushing and they were yelling, 'One, two, three, push.' And we were doing the same thing. We were pushing back. But then it escalated into full fighting."
Officer Daniel Hodges described the physical dynamics: "There's a couple dozen of us in there against, you know, the thousands and thousands outside, and we just held it as long as we could. It was a brutal fight."
Personal Ordeals
Several officers experienced particularly harrowing moments during the confrontation. Detective Nguyen recounted being attacked while holding his position: "At some point, one of the demonstrators was trying to pull me outside. And luckily I held on to the metal rail."
He described a subsequent attack: "I was choking under the mask, and I also got knocked down at the same time. And so at that point, I was choking, and I was trying to get up. I (was) panicking."
Officer Fanone experienced being pulled from the police line: "At some point during the fighting, I was dragged from the line of officers into the crowd. I heard someone scream, 'I got one!' as I was swarmed by a violent mob."
He detailed the assault: "They ripped off my badge. They grabbed my radio. They seized the ammunition that was secured to my body. They began to beat me with their fists and with what felt like hard metal objects."
Critical Moments
Officer Hodges found himself trapped in a vulnerable position: "The two sides were at a stalemate at a metal door frame that sat in the middle of the hallway. At the front line, I inserted myself so that the frame was at my back in an effort to give myself something to brace against and provide additional strength when pushing forward."
He described his predicament: "My arms were pinned and effectively useless, trapped against either the shield on my left or the door frame on my right. With my posture granting me no functional strength or freedom of movement, I was effectively defenseless and gradually sustaining injury from the increasing pressure of the mob."
During his ordeal, Officer Fanone made a personal appeal: "During the assault, I thought about using my firearm on my attackers. But I knew that if I did that, I would quickly be overwhelmed. And that, in their minds, it would provide them with the justification for killing me. So instead, I decided to appeal to any humanity they might have. I said as loud as I could manage, 'I've got kids.'"
Aftermath and Reflection
Sergeant Gonell reflected on the intensity of the experience: "It was a prolonged and desperate struggle. I vividly heard officers screaming in agony and pain just an arm's length from me."
He shared his own moment of crisis: "I too was being crushed by the rioters. I could feel myself losing oxygen and recall thinking to myself, this is how I'm going to die, trampled defending this entrance."
Detective Nguyen had similar thoughts: "I thought, that's where I'm going to die. And in my head I was thinking about my family at that point before anything else."
The events of that day resulted in the death of Officer Brian Sicknick, who had been sprayed with chemicals during the confrontation. Inspector Thomas Loyd later stated: "Officer Brian Sicknick faithfully served the United States Capitol Police for 13 years. He fought valiantly for several hours on January 6."
