Well, buckle up, because this story has all the makings of a classic social media firestorm: a prominent politician, a highly charged event, and a fact-check that sent shockwaves across X (formerly known as Twitter). Minnesota Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar found herself in hot water after posting about the January 6th Capitol riot, claiming that police officers were “injured and killed.”
Now, if you’ve spent any time on X, you know that the platform’s Community Notes feature has become the internet equivalent of a referee throwing a penalty flag—except the fans are the ones making the call. And in this case, the whistle was blown loudly. The note attached to Klobuchar’s post firmly stated, “No officers were killed.”
Let’s unpack this. U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick tragically passed away the day after the riot, but the official medical examiner ruled his death was due to natural causes—specifically two strokes. This ruling clarified that while Sicknick had been on duty and faced extreme stress during the riot, his death wasn’t directly caused by injuries sustained on January 6th.
And while it’s true that four other officers later died by suicide—an undeniably heartbreaking reality—the timeline and circumstances surrounding those deaths make them distinct from the events of January 6th itself.
Now, conservative commentators wasted zero time jumping on Klobuchar’s post. Dana Loesch, Bonchie from Red State, and Mollie Hemingway from The Federalist were among those who called out what they described as a persistent falsehood. Hemingway’s comment was particularly sharp: “Someone of your stature should not be lying brazenly about this. Just sick.”
It’s not just commentators who are frustrated. Chris Barron from Right Turn Strategies even suggested Klobuchar should face censure for her statement. Meanwhile, Ben Kew pointed out that the only person who was killed on January 6th was Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter who was fatally shot by Capitol Police.
So, where does this leave us? Well, on one hand, about 140 officers were injured during the riot—an undeniable fact. On the other, no officer was killed during or as a direct result of the events of January 6th. Those two realities can exist side by side without stretching the truth.
But here’s the kicker: This isn’t just about facts and dates. It’s about trust. When politicians make statements that don’t align with verifiable information—especially about an event as scrutinized as January 6th—it fuels public skepticism. And social media platforms like X, armed with tools like Community Notes, are making it harder for these claims to go unchallenged.
