On January 6, 2021, a Washington DC Metro police officer found himself in the middle of the attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Michael Fanone was pulld into the crowd, beaten with pipes, tased, and suffered a heart attack, and eventually lost consciousness.
Fanone walked away with a brain injury, and ended up testifying at the January 6 House hearings. The now-former police officer has written about his experience in a new book called "Hold the Line: The insurrection and one cop's battle for America's soul."
Fanone told KMOX that he's recovered from all his physical injuries that day, and has come to terms with the trauma he experienced. He explained how he ended up at the Capitol during the riots.
"I heard calls coming out from the Capitol building that from other police officers that would make the hair stand up on the back of your neck," Fanone said. "They were really fighting for their lives. And so I didn't feel like I had any other choice."
He said he's also angry at the Secret Service -- and felt betrayed by them.
"I've seen evidence now that not only did the Secret Service have intelligence in advance of the January 6 Stop the Steal rally, but they saw things that were playing out in real time on the ground," Fanone said. "Which I can't imagine under any other circumstance that they would have allowed that rally to occur."
Fanone's book details his experience at the Capitol on January 6, but also talks about his life leading up to becoming a cop, and the things he's learned since growing up as a white kid in suburban America. And, like the title promises, he gets to the soul of America.
"While I believe that Trump and Trumpism is a clear and present danger, the biggest threat is indifference. Indifference to fellow Americans, indifference to our differing opinions on policy," he said. "And I believe that the soul of America is acceptance, and is respecting, and appreciating the differences that may exist between us and our neighbors, but still being able to coexist and share that brotherhood."
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