Police Officer Who Defended Capitol Building Kills Self

A police officer who responded to riots at the U.S. Capitol last week died in what authorities say was an apparent suicide, according to reports from HuffPost and others Monday.

Although no official cause of death has been announced Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman reported that Howard Liebengood committed suicide. The report was acknowledged as true by a social media post from another U.S. Capitol police officer.

The 51-year old Liebengood was assigned to the Senate division of the Capitol Police and had been with the department since April 2005. He was the son of the late sergeant-at-arms Howard S. Liebengood, who died in 2005.

Outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier called on supporters to march to the Capitol and block the certification of Electoral College votes.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and colleagues," the Capitol Police said in a statement. "We ask that his family and other police officers' and their families' privacy be respected during this profoundly difficult time," The Wrap reported.

Brian Sicknick, another Capitol police officer, died during the riots after being struck in the head with a fire extinguisher. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had defused two improvised explosive devices placed near the Capitol as rioters barged into the building.

The Capitol Police has been criticized for an allegedly poor response to the riots. Its director Stephen Sund stepped down Thursday after being condemned by the officers' union and other officials.