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The Latest: FBI says probe of Capitol officer death ongoing

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Graeme Jennings/WashingtonExaminer

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP)

WASHINGTON – The Latest on FBI Director Chris Wray's testimony about the Capitol insurrection (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

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The FBI director is declining to comment on the cause of the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who collapsed after responding to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and died the next day.

FBI Director Chris Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday the agency is “not at a point” where it can disclose or confirm the cause of death. Wray was responding to a question by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley about how the officer died.

Two people familiar with the case have told The Associated Press federal investigators have zeroed in on a suspect seen on video appearing to spray a chemical substance on Sicknick during the rioting. They say investigators believe Sicknick may have ingested a chemical substance — possibly bear spray — that may have contributed to his death.

Grassley asked Wray if he was saying the FBI has determined the cause of the officer’s death. Wray says he “didn’t say that."

Wray says there's “an ongoing investigation" into the officers' death.

— By Mary Clare Jalonick.

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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FBI DIRECTOR CHRIS WRAY'S TESTIMONY ON THE CAPITOL INSURRECTION:

FBI Director Chris Wray condemns the January riot at the U.S. Capitol as “domestic terrorism” as he defends the bureau’s handling of intelligence indicating the prospect for violence.

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HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON:

12:05 p.m.

FBI Director Chris Wray says the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol was not organized by people posing as Trump supporters.

At a hearing Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin asked Wray if there was any evidence the attack was organized by “fake Trump protesters.” Wray replied the FBI has “not seen evidence of that.”

Some Republican members of Congress have suggested that left-wing protesters dressed up as Trump supporters to attack the Capitol, despite no evidence of that. The group laid siege on the building and interrupted the count of presidential electoral votes after then-President Donald Trump told them in a speech to “fight like hell” to overturn his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden.

Five people died as result of the violence.

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11:55 a.m.

FBI Director Chris Wray says the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by supporters of then-President Donald Trump was “domestic terrorism.”

Wray testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday for the first time in almost two years. Wray is defending the bureau’s handing of intelligence indicating that there might be violence Jan. 6. He says the bureau immediately shared with other agencies a report that included “raw and unverified” intelligence predicting the attack.

A Jan. 5 report from the FBI’s Norfolk, Virginia, field office warned of online posts foreshadowing a “war” in Washington the following day. The former chief of the Capitol Police and others have said the information wasn’t flagged for them and was only sent in an email.

Wray says he did not see the report until after the insurrection but it was shared properly.

Five people died as result of the violence.


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