Caroline Edwards

Caroline Edwards (born 1991) is an American officer of the United States Capitol Police who is known for defending the Capitol building and its occupants during the January 6 attack. She was the first Capitol Police officer to be injured by the mob of rioters on the day of the attack.

Edwards was stationed on the West front of the Capitol at the start of the attack. She signaled on the Capitol Police radio that her first responder unit needed help, and alerted several other officers around the Capitol that the police were being overrun by the mob. She was then pushed over with a bike rack by Ryan Samsel, and hit her head on a handrail, which cracked her skull and gave her a concussion, making her lose consciousness; she awoke minutes later and continued her defense, engaging in hand-to-hand combat for hours. Her concussion caused permanent traumatic brain injury effects. She testified to the House Select Committee investigating the attack in 2022 and was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by U.S. president Joe Biden in 2023.

Early life Caroline Edwards was born in 1991. She is the granddaughter of a United States Marine who fought in the Korean War. Edwards is from Atlanta, and attended the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in public relations. By 2021, she had worked on "hundreds of civil disturbances" to the Capitol.

January 6 Capitol attack

On January 6, 2021, supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an attempted insurrection, hoping to overturn Congress' certification of Electoral College votes in the 2020 presidential election. The certification would confirm Trump's opponent, Joe Biden, to be the next President. The attack began around 1 p.m., when Trump finished speaking at Washington D.C.'s Ellipse park, and his supporters who were there started marching east towards the Capitol. This included members of the Proud Boys militia group. Capitol Police leaders knew of a threat to the Capitol but did not tell the stationed officers.

That day, Edwards had been stationed at the Peace Circle on the West front of the Capitol grounds, backed by four other officers in the first responder unit. Edwards was the first Capitol Police officer to be injured by the incoming mob once they reached the Capitol grounds. Edwards called for help on the radio, which was heard by other officers around the building and was a sign that the mob was overrunning the police. Proud Boys leader Joseph Biggs encouraged Ryan Samsel to approach the bike rack by which Edwards was posted. Samsel then pushed the bike rack over, which hit her on the head. Edwards awoke minutes later She then continued the defense, rushing to support the officers who had been pushed back and were holding a line in the Capitol's lower West Terrace. She then engaged with the mob in hand-to-hand combat for hours. She later said that in her training she was taught to control riots but not to do hand-to-hand combat. Edwards stopped many rioters from entering the building;

On June 9, 2022, Edwards testified to the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack regarding her experiences during the attack. On April 3, 2023, she was awarded the 2023 Dean's Medal for Leadership Excellence from the University of Georgia Grady College for her "defense of the heart of American democracy". In October 2023, Samsel went on trial, charged with assault on police with and without a dangerous weapon (a felony), obstruction of an official proceeding (a felony), and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings (a misdemeanor). Prosecutors argued that he was the catalyst for the rioting. On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump, now serving a second term as president, pardoned Samsel and around 1,500 other people charged with crimes connected to the January 6 attack. Samsel was released from custody the following day. Samsel had served nearly four years in jail by the time he had been pardoned.