Photo: Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz announced Friday that two police officers were terminated for being present and "directly next" to the Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
State of play: The officers, Caitlin and Alexander Everett, who are married, said they were standing 30 to 50 yards away from the Capitol and never saw any sign of disturbance. However, FBI photographs showed them standing "directly next" to the Capitol building.
- In the police department's disciplinary reports for the officers, Diaz wrote that if they had "limited your activities on Jan. 6 to attending a non-violent political rally and speech, you would not be receiving discipline."
- Diaz added that "[t]his discipline is simply and unequivocally not based on your attendance at a rally in support of a candidate or position. It is based on your involvement" in the deadly riot.
What they're saying: "It is beyond absurd to suggest that they did not know they were in an area where they should not be, amidst what was already a violent, criminal riot," Diaz said.
- "These two officers were present at an attack on the U.S. Capitol, which was also an attack on our profession and on every officer across the country," he added.
- "The participation of these two officers in that crowd is a stain on our department, and on the men and women who work every day to protect our community, serve those in need, and do so with compassion and dignity."
Of note: This is the first time that the couple's identity has been revealed, per AP.
Between the lines: It is not known whether the Everetts are under federal criminal investigation, AP notes.