Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund says he tried to beef up security at Capitol Hill before the Jan. 6 insurrection. According to the Washington Post, he sought to activate the National Guard prior to the Donald Trump’s protest, but his request was repeatedly denied by Congress officials.

Hill told the Post that he asked House and Senate security officials to place members of the National Guard on standby in anticipation of the potential aftermath of Trump’s demonstration. The Congress sargeants subsequently proposed he informally ask guardsmen to be watchful, but refused to declare an emergency days prior to the event. Despite the rejection, he requested five more times, but his pleas were continuously ignored.

The riots that followed resulted in the demolition of the U.S. Capitol at the hands of rioters who managed to make their way into the government building. The guardsmen eventually arrived, but only after the anarchy was subdued.

“If we would have had the National Guard we could have held them at bay longer, until more officers from our partner agencies could arrive,” Sund told the Post.

The FBI — who is investigating the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — believes that some Capitol police may have given the rioters access to the building. Recently-released footage, however, exempts a Black officer from the list of potential suspects.

As REVOLT reported, Officer Eugene Goodman confronted one of the riot leaders and successfully prevented him and the mob from storming a Senate chamber. He has since been praised for his actions.

“Now it seems clear that this officer tricked the mob away from the unguarded door to the Senate, using himself — a Black man — as the bait,” ProPublica’s Pabela Colloff tweeted. “He is a national hero.”

CNN’s Kristin Wilson wrote, “His name is USCP Officer Eugene Goodman. Remember his name. He almost certainly saved lives on Wednesday. My thanks, Officer Goodman. THANK YOU.”