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Who is Eugene Goodman? Black police officer hailed ‘hero’ for diverting Capitol rioters: ‘Deserves Medal of Honor’

Eugene Goodman was seen putting himself in between a rioter that sported the QAnon conspiracy on his shirt and blocked him from entering the Senate chambers

In shocking events to the start of the New Year, Capitol Hill was breached by pro-Trump supporters on Wednesday, January 6, 2020, as members of Congress gathered to confirm President-elect Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election victory.

The mob quickly turned violent as gunshots were heard, tear gas and pepper sprays were used to keep the protesters away and there were several fatalities including Officer Brian D Sicknick; Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt; Ringtown, Pennsylvania resident Benjamin Philips, Athens; Alabama resident Kevin Greeson and Kennesaw Georgia resident Rosanne Boyland.

However, despite the chaos that ensued, a Black Capitol police officer Eugene Goodman is now being hailed as a hero after a picture of him stopping rioters and moving them away from the Senate was released. Goodman's identity was released by CNN reporter Kristin Wilson.

Who is Eugene Goodman?

Reports reveal that Goodman had served in the US Army and was deployed to Iraq as well. He also spent time in Kentucky at Fort Campbell. Heavy reported that Campbell is the home of the 101st Airborne Division, (Air Assault). According to the hero's LinkedIn page, he currently lives in Washington DC and has worked for the US Capitol Police since 2011. "His name is USCP Officer Eugene Goodman. Remember his name. He almost certainly saved lives on Wednesday. My thanks, Officer Goodman. THANK YOU," wrote CNN Reporter Kristin Wilson.

If reports are to be believed, he has a young daughter and shares pictures of her on his social media profile. In one photo, she can be seen cheerfully wearing his police uniform shirt. “I wanna be like daddy when I grow up she says… We in trouble!!!” he captioned the 2013 photo.

Will he get the Medal of Honor?

A former candidate for the US Senate, Jaime Harrison of South Carolina, tweeted that Goodman should be honored for his actions by the political leads that were on the Senate floor that day. "The word hero does not appropriately describe officer Eugene Goodman. His judgment & heroism may have saved our Republic. I hope @SpeakerPelosi @SenSchumer @WhipClyburn consider him for the Congressional Medal of Honor. It is the least we can do," he wrote.

Goodman was seen putting himself in between a rioter that sported the QAnon conspiracy on his shirt and blocked him from entering the Senate chambers. He apparently then shoved the rioter to "induce him and the crowd" to follow him to police officers in the opposite direction, according to The Globe and Mail. Former Democratic nominee for the US Congress, Christopher J Hale, took to Twitter to tweet a picture of Officer Goodman writing, "Officer Eugene Goodman stopped a mob of white rioters from entering the chambers of the United States Senate. At this perilous moment in our nation’s history, he was the one person standing between democracy and the rule of tyrants. (Photo Credit: New York Times)"

‘God bless him for his courage’

While Capitol Police did not help with the identity of officer Goodman, US Representative Bill Pascrell also took to the social media channel on Sunday, January 10, to reveal what Goodman had done. Along with a video, he wrote, "As trump’s fascist mob ransacked the US Capitol, this brave USCP officer kept murderous rioters away from the Senate chamber and saved the lives of those inside. God bless him for his courage."

Attorney Ben Crump too posted a video of how the officer stalled the rioters and tweeted: "Eugene Goodman deserves the Medal of Valor! He could have stepped aside and let Trump insurgents get to the Senate chamber while Senators were still there. Instead, this heroic officer got them to follow him the other direction, giving lawmakers time to escape!"

The failed armed insurrection of the United States Capitol led to the evacuation and lockdown of the building and five deaths.