By Brad Heath and Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The District of Columbia’s chief medical examiner has ruled that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick had two strokes and died of natural causes, after he tussled with a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters at the U.S. Capitol.
The medical examiner’s office said on Monday that the 42-year-old officer’s cause of death was natural causes after he suffered a stroke. He died the day after the Jan. 6 violence.
The findings mean it will be hard for federal prosecutors to bring homicide charges in connection with Sicknick’s death.
Two men – George Tanios and Julian Khater – are facing charges they assaulted three police officers, including Sicknick, by spraying them with a chemical irritant on Jan. 6.
The Washington Post first reported the medical examiner’s ruling.
(Reporting by Sarah N. LynchEditing by Alistair Bell)
