Following the mass hysteria and violence of the attempted coup of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, the entire country, and much of the world, has been asking, “how is it possible that this breach of the Capitol was even able to occur?” The reality is that the Capitol police were incredibly outnumbered, the surrounding area was not properly secured, and it took an absurd amount of time for the National Guard to be deployed after Trump delayed their arrival.

As a result of this attack, 5 people died, including Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, in addition to several other injured officers. But this riot could have been much more deadly if it wasn’t for Capitol police officer Eugene Goodman.

In footage from the insurrection, Goodman, armed only with a baton, can be seen singlehandedly facing a vicious mob of all-white rioters. Severely outnumbered, Goodman could not completely stop these Trump supporters from entering the Capitol, but he was able to misdirect them.

Realizing that they were just a few feet away from the open Senate chambers, Goodman shoved the leader of the mob, drawing the attention to himself and effectively tricking the mob into following him, where backup officers waited in a back corridor outside the Senate. Not only did Goodman likely save the lives of people in the Senate chambers, but he also saved the lives of these violent attackers.

After this footage went viral, people all around the country, including House Representatives and Senators, are praising Goodman for his extraordinary bravery, with many calling for him to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

“Last Wednesday, I was inside the Senate chamber when Officer Eugene Goodman led an angry mob away from it at great personal risk,” wrote Senator Bob Casey. “His quick thinking and decisive action that day likely saved lives, and we owe him a debt of gratitude.”

An anonymous Wayne Hills was also moved by the footage of Goodman facing the mob. “The video honestly brought me to tears. Goodman’s bravery and selflessness singlehandedly saved both the lives of the people in the Senate chambers and the people in the mob. He deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor and national recognition for his service.”

While January 6th will be infamous in U.S. history, Eugene Goodman should be forever remembered as a brave hero who saved countless lives and courageously defended our democracy. On one of our country’s darkest days, Officer Goodman reminds us there is still hope and that our democracy will rebound stronger than ever.