The black police officer who stopped mob from breaching US Senate chamber

A police officer is being applauded for his heroism after single-handedly leading an angry mob of Donald Trump supporters away from the Senate chamber during last week’s deadly storming of the Capitol.

Video footage posted online shows Officer Eugene Goodman glancing to his left at the undefended doors to the Senate floor after being chased down a flight of stairs by rioters who had breached the halls of government.

After spotting the unprotected entrance, the US Capitol Police cop makes a “split-second decision to lead the mob of mostly white rioters away to another part of the Capitol building”, The Telegraph reports.

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Goodman “puts himself between a man wearing a black T-shirt for the QAnon conspiracy movement and a hallway leading to the Senate chambers”, says Reuters. The officer then “shoves” the man to bait the crowd into following him in the opposite direction to another room, where back-up was waiting.

Had the mob breached the chamber, they “would have almost certainly reached the politicians who were working to certify the electoral college votes” to confirm Joe Biden as president-elect, adds The Daily Dot.

Footage of the incident was captured by HuffPost politics reporter Igor Bobic, who posted the video on Twitter. According to Bobic, the footage was shot at 2.14pm - a minute before the chambers were sealed.

CNN journalist Kristin Wilson revealed Goodman’s identity on Sunday, tweeting: “Remember his name. He almost certainly saved lives on Wednesday. My thanks, Officer Goodman. THANK YOU.”

Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell joined thousands of other people in tweeting their thanks, writing: “As Trump’s fascist mob ransacked the US Capitol, this brave USCP officer kept murderous rioters away from the Senate chamber and saved the lives of those inside. God bless him for his courage.”

Several other “tales of heroism have emerged from the chaos of Wednesday’s storming of the US Capitol, including fallen officer Brian Sicknick, who died from injuries after grappling with President Trump’s supporters”, says The Telegraph.

Meanwhile, the mob leader who was shoved by Goodman has been identified by CNN as Doug Jensen.

The 41-year-old, identified through “analysis of his booking photo and posts on social media”, has been arrested for his involvement in the riot and is facing federal charges.