Another Washington, D.C. police officer who responded to the U.S. Capitol siege on January 6 has died by suicide, the Metropolitan Police Department, the third officer to do so.
Officer Gunther Hashida, who was a member of the force in Washington, D.C. for 18 years, was found lifeless in his house Thursday. According to the Washington Examiner, the cause of death was suicide, citing police report.
In a statement, the MPD said they are grieving for the death of their fellow officer and their thoughts and prayers are with Hashida's family and friends.
Hashida was assigned to the Emergency Response Team (ERT) within the Special Operations Division (SOD). He joined the MPD in 2003, according to USA Today.
Hashida is survived by his wife, three children, his sister and other members of his "wonderful" family, according to an online fund-raising launched in the officer's memory.
As of Monday night, the fund-raising had generated more than $68,000 from more than 1,500 donors.
The MPD also confirmed that another police officer, Kyle deFreytag, from the same department died by suicide. DeFreytag was found dead July 10, CNBC reported.
The deaths mark four known suicides by officers who responded to the Capitol during the attack, and three known suicides by a DC officer specifically.
Officer Howie Liebengood, a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Capitol Police, and Officer Jeffrey Smith, a 12-year veteran of the MPD, died by suicide days following the Capitol assault.
A mob of angry Trump loyalists stormed the Capitol in a violent attempt to stop the certification of Biden's election victory.
The attempt failed and Biden's win over Trump from the 2020 U.S. Presidential election was validated by Congress in the early hours of the following morning.
Police arrested more than 500 people for alleged crimes in connection to the Capitol siege. Some 140 officers from both the MPD and Capitol Police were hurt in the riots.
Washington police did not immediately provide details about the work status of Hashida following the Capitol assault or additional circumstances surrounding his demise.
According to experts, police officers are at higher risk for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide compared to any other profession, yet many of them refuse to seek treatment.
