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Brian Sicknick: NYT quietly corrects report on Capitol cop's death, Internet slams 'conspiracy' against Trump fans

A report written by The New York Times on January 8, 2021, two days after the riot, claimed that Sicknick was killed due to blunt force trauma from a fire extinguisher

The New York Times has quietly updated an article about Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick's death during the riots at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Sicknick died after engaging with rioters who stormed the Capitol after being allegedly incited by former President Donald Trump. An initial report written by The New York Times on January 8, 2021, two days after the riot, claimed that Sicknick was killed due to blunt force trauma from a fire extinguisher. But now the story has been updated as of February 12, saying 'Capitol Police officer dies from injuries in pro-Trump rampage'. 

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The original January 8, 2021 story, read "At some point in the chaos - with the mob rampaging through the halls of Congress while lawmakers were forced to hide under their desks - he was struck with a fire extinguisher, according to two law enforcement officials."

An editor's note at the top of the story now says: "UPDATE: New information has emerged regarding the death of the Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick that questions the initial cause of his death provided by officials close to the Capitol Police." NYT had originally reported about Sicknick's death differently. "Mr. Sicknick, 42, an officer for the Capitol Police, died on Thursday from brain injuries he sustained after Trump loyalists who overtook the complex struck him in the head with a fire extinguisher, according to two law enforcement officials," the Times initially wrote.

This update comes 10 days after a CNN report stated that Sicknick did not die from blunt force trauma. According to the CNN report from early February, prosecutors were reportedly struggling to build a federal murder case in Sicknick's death precisely because there was a "lack of evidence that could prove someone caused his death."

"Authorities have reviewed video and photographs that show Sicknick engaging with rioters amid the siege but have yet to identify a moment in which he suffered his fatal injuries, law enforcement officials familiar with the matter said..." the report said at the time. " According to one law enforcement official, medical examiners did not find signs that the officer sustained any blunt force trauma, so investigators believe that early reports that he was fatally struck by a fire extinguisher are not true."

The Times' story now states, "Law enforcement officials initially said Mr. Sicknick was struck with a fire extinguisher, but weeks later, police sources and investigators were at odds over whether he was hit. Medical experts have said he did not die of blunt force trauma, according to one law enforcement official."

Many on social media are angry about this retraction by the publication, particularly because the report was circulated by the media as a fact. In fact, last week, during Trump's second impeachment trial which concluded in an acquittal, House impeachment managers used the original Times article as evidence in their impeachment pre-trial memo. "The NYTimes had to retract their story on capital police officer Brian Sicknick because it was a lie. So I wonder what else about the January 6th siege of the former 'people's' house was a bunch of shit? To be clear, it's no longer our house, and furniture theft won't fix that," an angry user tweeted. 

Some called the whole situation a conspiracy, others called it 'fake news'. "Capitol Hill cop Brian Sicknick was not hit by a fire extinguisher, it was a conspiracy to defame Trump supporters The fire extinguisher angle behind the death of #BrianSicknick was a shameless conspiracy to slander #Trump supporters."

"Fake news News York Times quietly updates the story of the death of Brian D. Sicknick, no longer died from a fire extinguisher but from a stroke. Boy they ran with that false narrative when it was 1st reported. @Twitter wanna suspend them for maybe 12 hours or so," a user tweeted. "@nytimes Shameful you publish lies without any verification “UPDATE: New information has emerged regarding the death of the Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick that questions the initial cause of his death provided by officials close to the Capitol Police.” #FakeNews" another added.