Howard Charles Liebengood, aUnited States Capitol Police officer, died by suicide on January 9, 2021, three days after he participated in thelaw enforcement response to theCapitol attack.[1] He was the first of what were reported as two police suicides in the immediate aftermath of the attack, thoughMetropolitan Police (MPD) officerJeffrey L. Smith's widow disputes the manner of death.[2][3] In the months after the civil disturbance at the Capitol, it was generally reported that the deaths of five people who were present have, to varying degrees, been related to the event. Some members of Congress and press reports included these two in the number of fatalities, for a total of seven.[4][5][6][7][8]
Liebengood had been a Capitol Police Officer for 15 years when he told his family about his decision to retire from the force after theInauguration of Joe Biden. The long shifts were exhausting, and the Capitol attack left him drained. His family was supportive of his decision.
On August 5, 2021, Howard Liebengood, along with Capitol Police officersBrian Sicknick, Metropolitan Police officerJeffrey L. Smith, as well as an officer who died as a result of a separate 2021 incident,Billy Evans, was posthumously honored in a signing ceremony for a bill to awardCongressional Gold Medals to Capitol Police and other January 6 responders. His name is noted in the text of the bill, and PresidentJoe Biden remarked on his death.[11][12] On May 14, 2021, the US Capitol Police named their new counseling center after Liebengood.[13]
In November of 2022, theUnited States Department of Justice classified Liebengood's suicide as a line-of-duty death, enabling his family to receive benefits through the Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program. This was the first designation for an officer who died in connection with the Capitol riot since Congress expanded eligibility to include those suffering from the traumatic effects of what they experienced on duty.[14]
On January 6, 2023, "for his deep dedication and selfless service," Liebengood was posthumously awarded thePresidential Citizens Medal by Biden.[15]
