Sixth Seattle Police officer under investigation for being in DC on day of Capitol Riot

6th SPD officer in DC during Capitol riot

The Office of Police Accountability says a sixth Seattle Police officer was in D.C. the night of the Capitol riot last month.

SEATTLE - The Office of Police Accountability said Friday it is investigating a sixth Seattle Police officer who was in Washington, D.C. on the day of the Capitol Riot.

The officer self-reported being there, the police department said on its blog Friday. Police did not say when the officer made the report.

Two days after the deadly attack on Jan. 6, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said two officers posted pictures of themselves at the Capitol on social media. Those officers were placed on administrative leave pending an independent investigation.

The Office of Police Accountability, the independent agency tasked with investigating officer misconduct for the Seattle Police Department, said three more Seattle PD officers have since self-reported being at the Capitol.

The watchdog group is investigating to determine whether the officers engaged in any illegal activities or violated any department policies that day when thousands of pro-Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win.

3 Seattle Police officers under investigation for DC presence

Seattle Police Department says three more officers are under investigation for being present at the Capitol riot in D.C.

The latest report brings that total to six officers, the OPA said.

The four officers who self-reported have not been placed on administrative leave at this time since they have not yet been found to have violated the law or department policy.

None of the officers’ identities have been released to the public.

It's unknown whether any of the Seattle police officers in attendance entered the Capitol. Chief Diaz said the first three officers placed on leave were off-duty and out-of-uniform.

Diaz said previously that officers are free to participate in "lawful" activities allowed by the First Amendment. If any of the officers are found to have entered the Capitol, they'll be fired immediately, Diaz said.

"I made it very clear when I assumed this position, that any violation of community trust or any action that threatens our ability to serve this city will be met with full accountability. We cannot violate the same laws we are sworn to protect. We cannot allow violent or intimidating direct action to become acceptable in our society. If any SPD employee participated directly in assaulting the Capitol, I will terminate them. This department DOES NOT believe in or support this type of behavior," said Diaz in a statement.

The investigations would take 30 days, the OPA said in a previous statement.

The head of Seattle’s police officers union, Mike Solan, is also under investigation over his tweets that blamed, in part, the "far left" and Black Lives Matter activists for the violence at the U.S. Capitol.

Mayor Jenny Durkan and most Seattle City council members have called for him to apologize or resign over the comments. Solan has said he will not step down, and that he interpreted the calls to resign as "political rhetoric."

The Associated Press contrbuted to this report.