FBI questioning dozens in killing of Capitol police officer, assaults on law enforcement - New York Times

People hold a prayer vigil in memory of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, in Los Angeles

(Reuters) - The FBI is questioning dozens of people in the killing of Brian Sicknick, a police officer who died a day after physically engaging with a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the U.S. Capitol last week, and other assaults on law enforcement, the New York Times reported on Friday.

The FBI detailed its investigation in a memo sent to the private sector and others on Friday, the newspaper reported.

As rioters overpowered Capitol police, Sicknick was pepper-sprayed and hit in the head, his father told Reuters last week. Ambulance crews resuscitated him twice as he was rushed to a nearby Washington hospital. Sicknick died the next day.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sicknick’s death is being investigated as a homicide by the Washington Metropolitan Police. The FBI is assisting.

Sicknick was the fifth person to die after Trump supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

The Republican president had summoned them to Washington for a rally and urged them to fight as lawmakers were meeting to certify his November election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. The deaths included some rioters.

Fourteen other Capitol Police officers were injured in the riot, the FBI memo said, according to the New York Times.

(This story corrects to show New York Times now reports FBI is questioning dozens of people, not investigating 37)

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Sarah Lynch; Editing by Howard Goller and Daniel Wallis)