'Hero' US Capitol Police officer escorts Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at inauguration
WASHINGTON - A Capitol police officer hailed as a hero for his actions during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol accompanied Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at the inauguration of Harris and President-elect Joe Biden.
Officer Eugene Goodman confronted a group of pro-Trump rioters and led them away from the Senate moments after Vice President Mike Pence was escorted from the chamber as the mob stormed the Capitol.
Video posted on Twitter captured Goodman standing alone between the pro-Trump rioters and the Senate. He raced up a stairway, radioing other officers his position.
Ultimately, Goodman got to an area occupied by several additional officers, who were able to stop the rioters from advancing. Many have praised Goodman for his role in keeping the rioters from getting to lawmakers.
Officer Goodman was hailed as a hero for helping to steer rioters away from lawmakers during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. (Credit: Igor Bobic/HuffPost)
According to the Associated Press, the video of Goodman leading the rioters away was taken at 2:14 p.m. The Senate chamber didn’t begin evacuating until a minute later.
Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., introduced H.R. 305 last week, which would award Goodman with the Congressional Gold Medal for his actions during the Capitol siege.
"He’s a hero," Crist said in a statement. "The United States Capitol was under attack by armed, violent extremists, and Officer Eugene Goodman was the only thing standing between the mob and the United States Senate. I shudder to think what might have happened had it not been for Officer Goodman’s fast thinking and commitment to his duty and his country."
The bill has bipartisan support after being co-sponsored by Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo.
The man leading the mob toward Goodman — identified as Doug Jensen of Des Moines, Iowa — was arrested by the FBI on Jan. 9. A grand jury indicted him on six counts, including obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder, resisting Goodman, violently entering and remaining in a restricted building, and disorderly conduct.
Goodman served in the Army for four years, leaving with the rank of sergeant in December 2006.
A police spokeswoman said Goodman’s plainclothes assignment to accompany Harris at the inauguration "is a ceremonial role.″ Goodman has been with the U.S. Capitol Police Department since 2009.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.