Federal authorities have charged on Monday two men, including one of Lebanese origin, with assaulting Brian Sicknick, the police officer who died during the Jan. 6 assault on Congress by Donald Trump supporters trying to overturn his election defeat.
Julian Elie Khater, 32, of Pennsylvania, and George Pierre Tanios, 39, of West Virginia, both face nine charges, including assault on Federal Officer with Dangerous Weapon, conspiracy to injure an officer, civil disorder and obstructing or impeding any official proceeding, physical violence on restricted grounds, while carrying dangerous weapon, and resulting in significant bodily injury, in addition to violent entry and disorderly conduct, act of physical violence on Capitol grounds.
Tanios, of Lebanese origin, owns the restaurant Sandwich U in Morgantown, West Virginia. He made his first appearance in US District Court in Clarksburg on Monday afternoon, via Zoom videoconference from the regional jail.
On January 6, a crowd of violent rioters had assembled on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol, where police had formed a line of bike racks extending from the North end of the Lower West Terrace to the South end, to act as a barrier against the crowd.
Video footage of this incident found that Khater and Tanios were working together to assault law enforcement officers with an unknown chemical substance by spraying officers directly in the face and eyes, according to a search warrant affidavit in West Virginia federal court.
The affidavit said law enforcement discovered open source media video of the incident from January 6, 2021, when Khater is seen holding a white can with a black top that appears to be a can of chemical spray.
“Give me that bear s---,” Khater said before reaching into Tanios’ backpack.
“Hold on, hold on, not yet, not yet ... its still early,” Tanios responded, the affidavit says.
Later, it said Khater is observed with his right arm up high in the air, appearing to be holding a canister in his right hand and aiming it in the officers’ direction while moving his right arm from side to side.
Sicknick and two other officers, who were standing within a few feet of Khater, all react, one by one, to something striking them in the face.
“The officers immediately retreat from the line, bring their hands to their faces and rush to find water to wash out their eyes, as described in further detail below and as captured in the following screen shots,” the affidavit says.
According to a press release from the Justice Department, Khater was apprehended as he got off an airplane at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Tanios was arrested at his home in West Virginia.
