Days after the shocking seige of the U.S. Capitol fueled by President Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election, new reports revealed a Capitol Police officer deliberately led the violent MAGA, QAnon and White supremacist mob away from an open door to the Senate chamber moments before armed security managed to lock it.
The lone cop was identified as Eugene Goodman by CNN reporter Kristin Wilson and is being hailed a hero on social media after a video of him distracting the mob went viral.
Wilson posted a screenshot from the video of the moment Goodman glanced over and noticed the open pathway leading to the Senate chambers as the mob followed him up the stairs.
In the video, Goodman—who realized he was alone and being pursued—shoved a rioter wearing a black QAnon T-shirt who appeared to be leading the charge. QAnon is a disproven far-right conspiracy theory alleging a cabal of Satan-worshipping cannibalistic pedophiles runs a child sex-trafficking ring.
That man was later identified as Doug Jensen from Des Moines. and faces five federal charges after being arrested on Saturday.
After being shoved by Goodman, Jensen went after the USCP Officer who led the incited rioters in the opposite direction away from the accessible pathway to the Senate towards a group of arriving police officers.
Huffington Post's Igor Bobic posted one perspective of Goodman being chased by the Donald Trump supporters.
One of the photos Bobic shared of the rioters outside the Senate was posted at 2:16 p.m., according to the New York Post.
Notes from a reporter for the Washington Post mentioned access to the Senate was sealed at 2:15 p.m.—suggesting it was "mere seconds of a differential" from when the rioters stood a few feet from the then unlocked chamber door.
You can see Bobic's video of Goodman in action, below.
Steven Nelson from the New York Post shared an above perspective of Goodman at the top of the stairs outside the Senate chamber distracting Jensen and the other rioters.
Twitter praised Goodman for how he held back and steered the mob away from the Senate chamber.
It did not go unnoticed online that Goodman was a Black cop being chased by a group of all White rioters.
Hero pic.twitter.com/W735CIIAR8
— Kris With a K (@Chainsaw_Master) January 11, 2021
Black police officer protecting the seat of American democracy from angry white terrorist. The very definition of irony!
— TWright (@TWright84845361) January 10, 2021
Two thoughts: He was strategic, knowing that he would be overwhelmed if he did shoot; and I think Black people have an inherent knowledge of the value of life because their lives are valued less by society. This man is a true hero.
— I am Here (@KarenFullerton2) January 10, 2021
Five people died as a result of last Wednesday's pro-Trump Capitol breach. Among the deaths was Brian D. Sicknick, a USPC Officer who served overseas in the New Jersey Air National Guard in support of the war in Afghanistan.
note on @mychal3ts/Threads post