The death of a D.C. police officer who died by suicide just days after he was assaulted during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has been ruled a line-of-duty death, a finding that makes his widow eligible for enhanced survivor benefits.
“Based on evidence submitted by the petitioner and the Department, we find that Officer Smith sustained a personal injury on January 6, 2021, while performing his duties and that his injury was the sole and direct cause of his death,” the Police and Firefighters’ Retirement and Relief Board wrote in a letter obtained by NBC News on Wednesday.
Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith died on Jan. 15, 2021.
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