Pilar Briggs
CNN reported four dead as a result of an attack on The Capitol of Washington, D.C. on January 6th, after hundreds of pro-Trump protestors stormed the building to stop the Senate from counting electoral college votes that would confirm Joe Biden as the 46th President. This came after President Trump’s speech, that was claimed to have incited the riot.
Shortly after 1 p.m. ET on that Wednesday, hundreds of rioters broke their way onto the Capitol’s property, by pushing through the barriers set up around the iconic building. After 90 minutes of standing outside, the rioters made their way into the building. As they marched through the building to find the offices of prominent politicians, including Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and Vice-President Pence.
The Vice President was evacuated from the chambers where votes were being counted, just in time before the rioters made their way into the room.
Two hours later, there was an armed police standoff with the rioters at the House front door. Guns were drawn when a rioter tried to break into the door. Smoke grenades were used to clear the Senate side of the building, while the Senate’s west side’s windows were being broken. As chaos got worse, a veteran of the military, identified by New York Times, Ashli Babbitt, was shot in the chest by a lieutenant as she tried to climb through a window inside of the of building. D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee spoke on the matter at a press conference, “One adult female and two adult males appear to have suffered from separate medical emergencies, which resulted in their deaths. Any loss of life in the District is tragic and our thoughts are with anyone impacted by their loss,”.
Representative Jim McGovern said that he “could look them in the eyes,” speaking about the rioters, “I mean that’s how close they were.” The officers were able to secure the second floor of the building, shortly before 5 p.m. ET. With just 30 minutes before D.C.’s Mayor’s newly implemented 6 p.m. city-wide curfew, the police were able to push rioters out of the building and onto the streets, securing the Capitol’s property.
Rioters went home after President Trump released a video statement telling his supporters to “go home” and to keep the peace hours after the riots were initiated. Later, he praised his supporters on their illegal actions.
The events led to 52 people being arrested that day, with more to have been arrested days later and an impeachment trial for President Trump, due to his inciting of the riots.