Eugene Goodman is an American United States Capitol Police officer who diverted invading rioters from the United States Senate chamber during the January 6 Capitol attack. Goodman is a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Iraq War. He served as the Acting Deputy Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate from January 20, 2021, to March 2, 2021.
Goodman in 2021
Senator Raphael Warnock tweeted on January 22, 2021, that he was honored to meet ("a true American hero") Goodman (right) and posted this photo of them taken by Senator Jon Ossoff two days after both new Georgia senators were sworn into office.
Goodman was honored at a Washington Nationals baseball game by being invited to throw the first pitch.
Goodman receives the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award (from left: Senator Amy Klobuchar, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, Goodman, and Senator Roy Blunt).
January 6 United States Capitol attack
On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep Trump in power by occupying the Capitol and preventing a joint session of Congress counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the certification of the election results. According to the bipartisan House select committee that investigated the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election. Within 36 hours, five people died: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months. Damages caused by attackers exceeded $2.7 million.
January 6 United States Capitol attack
After Zachary Jordan Alam (circled in red, bottom right) smashed the window with his helmet, Ashli Babbitt (circled in red, top left) attempted to breach the Speaker's Lobby by climbing through a window toward the fleeing congress.
President Donald Trump speaking at a campaign rally in Goodyear, Arizona, in October 2020
On December 15, 2020, a photograph spread online of a Proud Boy wearing a variety of antisemitic, neo-fascist verbiage and imagery.