6 attack to have died by suicide within seven months of the insurrection. Jeff Smith was one of four law enforcement officers who responded to the Jan. 6, 2021, while performing his duties was the “sole and direct cause” of his death. In March, the District of Columbia recognized that the injury her husband sustained on Jan. Like many parts of the country, Washington, D.C., where Jeff Smith served, did not consider suicide a line-of-duty death, which left Erin Smith without health insurance and income following her husband’s death. Kept to himself and was struggling to really just, you know, understand what happened that day, his injuries, and ultimately we know the end.” “He just didn’t want to do or be around anyone.
“He left with that one personality and came home with a different one,” Smith said.
6, after responding to the mob of rioters who breached the Capitol. He was the target of several attacks on Jan. The measure was passed in by unanimous consent.Įrin Smith’s husband, Jeffrey Smith, was a 12-year veteran of the D.C. Legislation qualifying families of public safety officers who die by suicide to seek death benefits cleared the Senate on Monday, part of a larger effort to recognize the emotional impacts of traumatic events on first responders nationwide. It’s not just me, but others who have gone through this, as well.”Īfter the bill passed on Monday, Erin Smith was “thrilled” that these officers and their families “will get the recognition that they’re due from the federal government.” “Obviously, this is going to help a lot of people. And once it got approved last night, I was just overly thrilled,” she said. “I tried to keep my hopes within the right space, if you will. In an interview with CBS News, she said she was initially skeptical that legislation would pass, having fought for over a year to have his suicide designated as a line-of-duty death in the District of Columbia. Metropolitan police officer, died of suicide nine days after the Jan. 6 praises Senate action to extend benefitsĬredit: CBS News, Clare Hymes and Scott MacFarlaneĮrin Smith fought for months for death benefits after her husband, a D.C. police officer who died by suicide after Jan.
0 kommentar(er)
