Courage Under Fire

Under Siege and Outnumbered 58 to 1 on January 6

By: Steven A. Sund

Narrated by: Steven A. Sund

Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the darkest days in American history became an extraordinary story of courage under fire.

Courage Under Fire is United States Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund’s gripping personal account that takes listeners inside the events leading up to January 6, and provides a detailed and harrowing minute-by-minute account of the attack on the US Capitol, which was valiantly defended in hand-to-hand combat by the US Capitol Police officers who found themselves outnumbered fifty-eight to one.

Courage under Fire draws upon audio recordings, key documents, and government records as it traces Sund’s extraordinary journey from his command post on January 6 to his explosive behind-closed-doors testimony before the January 6 committee.

Steven A. Sund, one of only ten men in history to hold the title of Chief of the US Capitol Police, has coordinated dozens of National Special Security Events, responded to numerous critical incidents and active shooter events, and has protected every living US president. But nothing could have prepared him for the violent attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Three days before the attack, Chief Sund requested the assistance of the National Guard. This request was denied. In preparation for the Joint Session of Congress, Chief Sund directed every available sworn officer to be on duty to protect the Capitol and all of its members and staff.

But it wasn’t enough.

The savage attack that followed was a well-planned and carefully coordinated armed assault on the United States Capitol, involving thousands. The shock and horror of this attack exploded on TV screens worldwide as US Capitol Police officers under Chief Sund’s command found themselves facing a violent siege, hit with pipes, fire extinguishers, boards, and flag poles. Dedicated men and women were knocked unconscious and sprayed with mace and bear spray as live pipe bombs were discovered at the national headquarters of both major political parties.

Finally, multiple police lines were breached. Then the building was breached. The National Guard didn’t arrive until it was much too late. In the end, 150 officers were seriously injured, and nine Americans were dead.

Now, for the first time, Chief Steven Sund has written the definitive inside story of the perfect storm of events that led up to the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, a day that rocked the nation and threatened our democracy. As the Capitol descended into chaos, insurrectionists infiltrated and stormed its hallowed halls and democracy was pushed to the brink. Few people realize just how close we came to seeing the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and countless members of Congress beaten, maimed, or killed.

There have been many false reports and outright lies concerning the conduct of the US Capitol Police on January 6, and there has been no accountability for the individuals who bear most of the responsibility for the failures that left the USCP unprepared that day—from the shocking failures in intelligence to the outright stonewalling Chief Sund received from the Pentagon when he repeatedly called for the National Guard’s help, even as the attack on the Capitol was raging.

Two years later, so many questions still remain unanswered: What did the intelligence community know about the plans of the insurrectionists before the attack? Why was the request for the National Guard continually denied and delayed? Why was the nation’s capital so vulnerable?

Forced to take the fall and resign, this is Chief Sund’s chance to answer those questions and to tell the full truth about what really happened on January 6.

©2023 Steven A. Sund (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

insider's account of January 6th

Thank you Chief Sund for sharing your story and the story of the men and women you served with at USCPD. This book was emotionally hard to listen to at times but we'll worth it.

Well written and moving.

Thank you for sharing your story. This first-person account gives a clearer picture of the events of the day and the wrongful firing of a man just trying to execute his job well

The real story of January 6th

Chief Sund recounts his attempts to prevent the tragic events of January 6th and the people and decisions that allowed the mob to make a run on our Capital. Hearing Chief Sund relive these life changing days is heart-wrenching and made me angry at the bureaucracy that runs this country. If you want a more honest understanding of the events of January 6th, this is a must-read!

Great Book

This book is a great read. Sund is a very enthusiastic reader. The events that he outlines in great detail are very enlightening.

So many questions

And a lot not answered. I really appreciate that Chief Sund has offered his perspective in this book that I know was difficult to write. I loved all the background he provided all through the book. I learned so much. And I learned how little I know - how little we all know - about just how and why things went as they did. So glad I saw the interview with Stephanie Ruhle and learned about it. This is how I spent the second anniversary of the attack.

Excellent Perspective

Sund gives an apolitical inside frontline perspective of 1/6 and the days leading up to the insurrection. He does an excellent job reading his account!

Incredible Story

Implications of former speaker Pelosi and intelligence agencies withholding important information to the chief of capitol police, and then the Jan 6th committee making him the scapegoat. Well written and very credible on how unchecked political power is undermining the foundations of our democracy.
Sad.

Outstanding Book

I highly recommend this book. The author does an excellent job providing factual information and keeping the politics out of the novel, as much as possible.

Fubar -1/6

We watched events of 1/6 on live TV , kept asking ourselves , why wasn’t the Capital adequately secured against riot. Everyone on any social media platform knew it was going to be trouble, in the the thousands. At last an explanation of the layers of government inertia. Many thanks to Capt. Sund for writing this book.

Great listen

This was hard to put down. It was even better read by the author. I’m glad he set the record straight from his perspective- and clearly he was the fall guy. Sad but not surprising given how politics work.