More than a year ago, the world watched as thousands of rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. In the midst of the chaos, one man was praised by elected officials and media outlets as a hero. As rioters attempted to search for lawmakers and incite violence, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman diverted crowds and led them away from members of Congress.
After the events of January 6, 2021, Goodman was honored by those on Capitol Hill, but he declined to participate in any interviews. Earlier this week, he broke his silence and appeared on 3 Brothers No Sense with his colleague, Byron Evans. During the 64-minute interview, Goodman touched on a number of topic including the Capitol Hill riots.
“It could have turned. I heard stories of people being armed, ” Goodman said about the riots of January 6, 2021.
“It could have easily been a bloodbath. Kudos to everyone there that showed a measure of restraint with deadly force because it could have been bad. Really, really bad.”
Goodman believes that his time in the U.S. military provided him with the necessary training for the situation.
“It all came together in that moment. I wasn’t thinking about the military when I was in that moment, but it all came together in that moment,” he explained.
“I was just in Go Mode.”
While Goodman has been praised for his actions, he has not been entirely comfortable with being a well-known figure.
“I have my ups and downs with the popularity because I tell people, you have to take the bad with the good,” he said.
“Man, people say you should embrace [the celebrity] but I say, ‘Yeah but then I have to embrace the negativity too.’ I’m trying to steer clear. That’s mostly why I haven’t done any interviews. I don’t want any part of the negativity.”
