Capitol Police officer injured in attack outside Capitol released from hospital
Washington — The U.S. Capitol Police officer injured in Friday's attack outside the U.S. Capitol has been identified as Ken Shaver, three sources confirmed to CBS News, and was released from a hospital in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.
In a video obtained by CBS News, Shaver is greeted with applause from law enforcement as he prepares to leave the hospital. The extent of his injuries are unknown, but Shaver is seen wearing a brace on his left leg.
Shaver was injured and Capitol Police Officer William "Billy" Evans was killed when a driver rammed his car into them at a barricade outside the Capitol building on Friday. The suspect, 25-year-old Noah Green, was shot by police after he exited his vehicle and lunged at officers. He died at a local hospital.
The incident at the Capitol came three months after the January 6 assault on the building, which found officers overrun by a violent mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters. One Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died after suffering injuries in the attack, and a second, Howard Liebengood, died by suicide days after the riots.
Gus Papathanasiou, chairman of the Capitol Police Union, said Saturday that last week's attack and the violent assault January 6 "have left our officers reeling," and he urged lawmakers to boost security at the Capitol.
"We have now lost two officers in the line of duty this year," he said in a statement. "Another officer has taken his own life and we have 80 officers who were seriously injured in the insurrection. Some of those injured officers may never return to duty."
With an authorized force level of 2,072 officers, Papathanasiou said the Capitol Police is 233 officers below that level and "struggling to meet existing mission requirements even with the officers working massive amounts of forced overtime."
He warned the department's ranks could shrink further, as another 500 officers will be eligible to retire in the next three to five years.
"Many of these officers could put in their retirement papers tomorrow," Papathanasiou said. "I've had many younger officers confide in me that they're actively looking at other agencies and departments right now."
The Capitol Police said in a statement in response to those concerns "we appreciate and join in the union's support for increased hiring, retaining our current officers and implementing many of the recommended security enhancements as quickly as possible."
In the wake of the January 6 attack, a review ordered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi found the Capitol Police "were understaffed, insufficiently equipped, and inadequately trained to secure the Capitol and members when violently attacked by a large mob."
Led by retired Army Lieutenant General Russel Honore, the task force found the department lacked sufficient manpower to deal with an increase in reported threats and recommended the department fill the 233 vacancies, as well as hire an additional 350 officers.
In an interview with ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday, Honore encouraged Congress to swiftly act on the recommendations laid out in his report, with the most important to provide additional resources, including to recruit new Capitol Police officers.
"It's time for Congress to work the plan. We gave them the plan. We worked hard to give it to them. Now they've got to work to make that plan come through," he said, "that's called a supplemental because the police in the Capitol deserve this. Our nation deserves it. And those families who have lost loved ones deserve it. And we need to up our game in support of the Capitol Police."
