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Dept. Of Justice Argues Bear Spray Attack On Police Officer Contributed To Fall Of U.S. Capitol

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Justice Department lawyers now argue that the two men charged with attacking Capitol Police officers contributed to rioters entering the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

Julian Khater of State College and George Tanios of Morgantown are charged with assaulting police with bear spray.

Julian Khater George Tanios
(Photos: FBI)

The Department of Justice says the spray left Officer Brian Sicknick and other officers injured and incapacitated, allowing rioters to advance and break the police line.

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Sicknick died the next day of natural causes.

brian sicknick (1)
(Photo by Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Tanios and Khater have been in jail since their arrests last month.

Both men have a hearing on Tuesday.

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