A Houston officer accused of entering the Capitol during the riots is demanding privacy

HOUSTON – A Houston police officer accused of entering the U.S. Capitol during the riots of recent weeks called for privacy Thursday.

Officer Tam Pham, an 18-year veteran of the Houston Police Department, resigned Thursday morning.

Pham spoke briefly with the media when he arrived home Thursday afternoon.

“Please give privacy to my family,” Pham said. “It’s a very difficult time.”

Houston police chief Art Acevedo said Wednesday that Pham attended a rally organized by President Donald Trump in Washington last week and then “penetrated” the Capitol building during a riot that left five people dead.

Acevedo said he had “a lot of confidence” that Pham would face federal charges in connection with the allegations and that he had given the information he gathered to the FBI.

“There is no excuse for criminal activities, especially from a police officer,” Acevedo said. “I can’t tell you how angry I feel at the thought of a police officer and other police officers who think they might attack the Capitol or members of the Secret Service military.”

Pham told the Houston Chronicle he was only there to take pictures.