Aquilino Gonell
Biography
Aquilino Gonell (born 1979 or 1980) is a Dominican-American former sergeant of the United States Capitol Police who is known for the defending the Capitol building and its occupants during the January 6, 2021 attack. In 2022, he retired from the Capitol Police due to injuries he sustained during the attack. He received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022 and the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2023. He is the author of American Shield: The Immigrant Sergeant Who Defended Democracy.
Known For & Full Filmography1 Titles
Movie - 2022, 2h 15m • as Self - Interviewee
January 6, 2021 marks a turning point in U.S. history. The storming of the U.S. Capitol brings the United States to the brink of a political abyss. An angry, armed mob invades the Congress building to prevent Joe Biden from being officially confirmed as the winner of the 59th U.S. election and thus becoming the 46th President of the USA. The lie about Donald Trump's stolen election victory explodes into violence, five people die in the heart of U.S. democracy. The attackers' actions are documented almost completely, as is the helplessness of the security forces. Since then, most of the perpetrators have been identified and charged. But the rift in society continues. Many Republican congressmen remain with Trump, a renewed candidacy for the presidential election in 2024 is still possible. The attack on the U.S. Capitol leaves a shock with all convinced democrats. How could it possibly come this far? This documentary tries to reconstruct and analyze from very different perspectives.