Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund suddenly announced his resignation one day after protesters pushed through his officers and breached the Capitol. Many lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, called for him to step down.
Sund wrote, “It has been a pleasure and true honor to serve the United States Capitol Police Board and the Congressional community alongside the women and men of the United States Capitol Police.”
His resignation is set to take effect Sunday, January 16.
Here’s Sund’s resignation letter: pic.twitter.com/H2l7i0txy9
— Heather Caygle (@heatherscope) January 7, 2021
While addressing charges against identified rioters during a news conference earlier the same day, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin said the way Capitol Police handled the situation has “made our job more difficult.”
Sherwin said, “Why they (those who broke in) weren’t zip-tied as they left the building, I don’t know.”
The D.C. Police Union, representing the city’s Metropolitan Police Department, not to be confused with its counterparts on Capitol Hill, issued a statement saying its officers responded after Capitol Police called for backup.
“When we arrived, it was obvious that our fellow officers of the U.S. Capitol Police were trying valiantly to stop the onslaught of rioters,” the union stated. “While it is unclear at this preliminary stage exactly how the building was breached so quickly, it appears likely that U.S. Capitol Police leadership was ill-prepared for this attack, both in manpower and in resources.”
According to authorities, at least four people lost their lives during the attack.
