Caroline Edwards

Caroline Edwards
Edwards receiving the Presidential Citizens Medal from Joe Biden in 2023
Born	1991 (age 32–33)
Occupation	United States Capitol Police officer
Known for	Defending the United States Capitol during the January 6 attack
Awards	Presidential Citizens Medal (2023)

Caroline Edwards (born 1991) is an American officer of the United States Capitol Police who is known for defending the Capitol building and its occupants during the January 6 attack. She was the first Capitol Police officer to be injured by the mob of rioters on the day of the attack.

Edwards was stationed on the West front of the Capitol at the start of the attack. She signaled on police radio that her first responder unit needed help, and alerted several other officers around the Capitol that the police were being overran by the mob. She was then pushed over with a bike rack by Ryan Samsel, and hit her head on a handrail, which gave her a concussion and made her lose consciousness; she awoke minutes later and continued her defense, engaging with the mob in hand-to-hand combat for hours. She testified to the Democratic House Select Committee investigating the attack in 2022 and was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Joe Biden in 2023.