Third police officer who fought with Trump supporters during Capitol riot dies by suicide

A third officer, Gunther Hashida, became the third police officer who fought with Trump supporters during the insurrection on 6 January to die by suicide, CNBC reports.

A spokesman for the Washington police confirmed that Mr Hashida was found dead in his home on Thursday.

“We are grieving as a Department as our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Hashida’s family and friends,” spokeswoman Brianna Burch said.

Mr Hashida had joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 2003 and at the time of his death, was assigned to the emergency response team within the special operations division of the department.

Two other police officers, Jeffrey Smith of the MPD and Howard Liebengood of the Capitol Police, died by suicide within a month of the attack, wherein supporters of former president Donald Trump broke into the Capitol in a violent insurrection in an attempt to overturn the results of the election.

A memorial fund was set up for Mr Hashida’s family on GoFundMe and as of Monday, it had raised more than $21,423.

“In his work as an officer with the DC Metropolitan Police Department, he worked to serve and protect the public,” the page said. “He was a devoted and loving husband and father.”