A former sergeant for the Capitol Police who was injured during the Jan. 6 riot will join former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as her guest at the State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Pelosi will be accompanied by former Sgt. Aquilino Gonell. He was on duty the day of the Capitol riot and has been outspoken about the violence in the months since.
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Gonell publicly announced his resignation from the Capitol Police last year. He mentioned trauma from the Capitol riot as a key reason for his departure.
“Sergeant Gonell is an American hero,” Pelosi said in a statement.
“On January 6, 2021, he put his own life on the line as he courageously protected the Capitol, the Congress, and the Constitution from a deadly siege,” she added. “After enduring unimaginable brutality and trauma, he has continued his selfless service — speaking out to ensure that we all remember the truth of the insurrection.”
During the Capitol riot, Gonell encountered protesters in a tunnel on the West Front. He was sprayed with chemical irritants and sustained injuries to his foot and shoulder.
Gonell underwent multiple surgeries and other medical rehabilitation to heal his injuries before rejoining the force in a limited capacity. He decided to resign in December 2022.
Before joining the Capitol Police, Gonell served in Iraq for the Army. He told the Jan. 6 committee in 2021 that he was “more afraid to work at the Capitol” than at any other point “in my entire deployment.”
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Gonell has been publicly outspoken about the events of the Capitol riot. He’s published several op-eds detailing his experiences and faulting former President Donald Trump for the violence that day. The former sergeant was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his response during the Jan. 6 riot.
Biden is scheduled to give his State of the Union address at 9 p.m. Tuesday. He will address a joint session of Congress for the first time since Republicans took control of the House in January.
