WASHINGTON — Friday marks two years since the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn was there that day. Since then, he has been vocal about his experience, testifying on Capitol Hill and writing about it in a new memoir called "Standing My Ground."
Dunn has received a Congressional Gold Medal for his service and will be among 12 people to be awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal.
Dunn said Friday he is not interested in medals or awards.
"I would trade them all for that day to never happen again. I would trade them all for the people responsible to be held accountable," Dunn said.
Dunn's testimony helped kick off the House Select Committee's Capitol riot investigation, which wrapped up last month. The committee released its report at the end of the year.
The dense, 814-page document details the findings of the panel’s 18-month investigation, drawing on more than 1,000 witness interviews and more than a million pages of source material. The committee found a “multi-part conspiracy” orchestrated by Donald Trump and his closest allies, all with the aim of overturning his 2020 election defeat.
Dunn said Friday he has not yet finished reading the full report, but is satisfied with its findings. He is not, however, surprised by them.
"I feel like a lot of my coworkers and I knew what happened and what would be the findings of those committee hearings the day of the attack on January 6, because the individuals who were there attacking the Capitol, attacking us, they told us why they were there and who sent them," Dunn said.
The day has changed Dunn's life and he has relived the events of that day for two years. He said he felt it was necessary to put his reflections down in a new memoir coming out later this year. He encourages the other law enforcement officers who were there on Jan. 6 to do the same.
"I've always encouraged people to tell their stories. I'm just one guy and everybody has a story. It deserves to be heard. There are so many other people whose names you will never know. There were so many heroes that day, not just me."
Two years removed from the events of Jan. 6, Dunn said he is taking it day by day.
"This is like nothing that I've ever had to process before. I don't know anybody who has been through something like this. So I'm just taking it day by day. Every day brings a new challenge or a new victory. Last night I went to bed feeling great, I woke up this morning with a ton of anxiety. I'm figuring it out as I go."