REVEALED: Capitol cop who was filmed screaming for help as he was crushed against metal door by MAGA mob is named as Officer Daniel Hodges who is 'doing well' and 'looking forward to returning to duty'
The bloodied Capitol cop who was filmed screaming for help as he was being crushed against a metal door frame during the MAGA riots in Washington DC last week has been named by police.
Officer Daniel Hodges is now said to be recovering and ‘doing well’ following the frightening ordeal on January 6, the DC Police Department confirmed in a Monday tweet.
While the exact nature of his injuries is unknown, the young cop was filmed being pinned between a metal door and a series of riot shields as a horde of pro-Trump rioters attempted to force their way through a line of police guarding an entrance to the legislature last Wednesday.
Amid the melee, rioters were seen pulling at Hodges’ face mask, pushing him and hitting him in the face.
The officer, with a pained expression on his face, was seen desperately calling out for ‘Help!’ as blood dripped from his face.
In a video interview published by NBC4 Tuesday, Hodges said he was still suffering from 'a headache that wouldn't quit' but confirmed he was resting up and 'looking forward to getting back out there.'
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Officer Daniel Hodges (shown above) is now said to be recovering and ‘doing well’ following the frightening ordeal last week
The young cop was filmed being pinned between a metal door and a series of riot shields on January 6 as a horde of pro-Trump insurrectionists attempted to force their way through a line of police officers inside the legislature
The officer, with a pained expression on his face, was seen calling out for ‘Help!’ as blood dripped from his face
Fourth-grader Emma Jablonski wrote a get-well note to officer Daniel Hodges, who was injured in last week¿s attack at the Capitol. @annenbcnews shows how Emma's act of kindness has struck a chord around the world. pic.twitter.com/YlKeJA9Y9u
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 13, 2021
Fourth-grader Emma Jablonski wrote a get-well note to officer Daniel Hodges, who was injured in last week¿s attack at the Capitol. @annenbcnews shows how Emma's act of kindness has struck a chord around the world. pic.twitter.com/YlKeJA9Y9u
In a press conference last week, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee confirmed the officer had been injured but said his afflictions were not life-threatening.
‘He’ll be out for a while,’ Ramsey told CNN. ‘The officer is obviously very sore.’
Hodges’ identity was later revealed Monday in a tweet responding to a heart-warming letter written to him by Emma Jablonski, a 10-year-old girl from Montana.
The letter was first shared on Twitter by Emma's mother, Johnna Jablonski, which was later re-posted by DCPD.
‘Dear Officer, I’m Emma and I’m 10 years old. I hope you heal from being crushed. I feel bad for you,’ the letter begins. ‘Those people are really bad hurting you. I hope you and your family are nice and healthy.
‘When I saw the video on CNN about people crushing you with a door I almost cried,’ the young girl adds, before concluding: ‘Get Well. – Emma’.
The Metropolitan Police Department retweeted Jablonski’s image of the note late Monday night and thanked Emma for her ‘kind words.’
‘Just wanted to let you know Officer Hodges is recovering and doing well,’ the PD wrote. ‘We’ll you an address of where to send it!’
In a video call published Tuesday, Hodges said he was still suffering from 'a headache that wouldn't quit' but was 'looking forward to getting back out there' and returning to duty
Hodges’ identity was revealed Monday in response to a heart-warming letter written to him by a 10-year-old girl from Montana
‘Dear Officer, I’m Emma and I’m 10 years old. I hope you heal from being crushed. I feel bad for you,’ Emma Jablonski letter begins. ‘Those people are really bad hurting you. I hope you and your family are nice and healthy'
NBC Washington later set up a Zoom call between Emma and Officer Hodges, with the pair finally meeting digitally on Tuesday.
‘From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much,’ Hodges is seen saying in the exchange. ‘I’m … kinda banged up but I’m looking forward to getting back out there.’
The pair reportedly exchanged words, with Hodges telling Emma that he has a ‘headache that won’t quit’, but is ‘doing alright all things considered’, according to the station.
Johnna Jablonski later described to Fox 5 how Emma had become upset when the footage of Hodges first cropped up on the news.
‘As she was watching it, she started saying, ‘What is happening? What are they doing to that man? Why are they doing this?’ And she started to cry,’ the mother recalled.
In an attempt to comfort her daughter, Jablonski said she came up with different ideas for Emma as to how she could demonstrate to the officer that she cared for him, before settling on a handmade card.
‘So she grabs her paper, her colored pencils and sat down on the table and just wrote what was on her heart,’ she added.
After the footage when viral last week, former Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Charles Ramsey credited the heroics of Hodges and his colleagues
A distress looking Hodges is seen calling for help as he's pinned between a metal door and a riot shield
NBC Washington later set up a Zoom call between Emma and Officer Hodges, with the pair finally meeting digitally on Tuesday
After the footage when viral last week, former Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Charles Ramsey credited the heroics of Hodges and his colleagues.
Saying that the Metropolitan Police officers depicted hadn’t even been assigned to protect the door seen in the video, he said: ‘That particular platoon came after the riot started.
‘They did a tremendous job. The never breached that door.’
In total, Metro Police Chief Contee said 56 officers were injured during the siege, and one US Capitol cop, Brian Sicknick died.
Sicknick, 42, was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher during a struggle, two law enforcement officials said. A suspect is being sought in connection to his death.
Dozens of Dozens of people have since been arrested for storming inside the Capitol. Hundreds more are being hunted by the authorities but are yet to be found, including 25 people who are being investigated on terrorism charges.
Among the group who laid siege to the legislature were white nationalists, neo-Nazis and QAnon conspiracy theorists, coming from states as far-flung as Arizona and Oregon, while photographs from the riot have shown people wearing clothes with a range of antisemitic messages.
Four demonstrators also died, including USAF veteran Ashli Babbitt, who was shot dead as she attempted to climb through a shattered window of a barricaded door near to the chamber. Three other protesters died from ‘medical emergencies’, officials have confirmed.