Update (January 7, 2021): A woman who was shot by Capitol Police during the Wednesday attack on Capitol Hill has been identified as Ashli E. Babbitt reports NPR.
Babbitt was among countless rioters who stormed the Capitol during a violent "Stop The Steal" rally. She was shot earlier in the day by police and later pronounced dead on Wednesday evening. The woman was one of four to be declared dead in the wake of the deadly insurrection.
Original (January 6, 2021): The District of Columbia National Guard has finally been dispatched after hours of unprecedented violence after President Donald Trump
urged his supporters to overtake the U.S. Capitol building.
Social media was flooded with videos and images of Trump supporters punching and tackling police while breaking windows and forcing their way onto the Senate floor.
Many online were aghast to see police effectively allow the rioters to take over the Capitol Building in what even Republican congresspersons were calling a "coup attempt."
“This is what the president has caused today, this insurrection,” Utah Senator Mitt Romney told The New York Times.
Earlier in the day, Trump urged his supporters to "fight" and told rioters he would walk with them to the Capitol Building.
Shortly after his speech, his supporters did just that, breaking through four layers of barricades and punching police before breaking into the Capitol Building.
Congress was in the process of certifying the results of the 2020 election that was won by President-elect Joe Biden when the riots began.
Senators were evacuated when the rioters made it to the Senate chamber doors, and photos showed officers with guns drawn at the doors.
Eventually, the police retreated and the insurgents were able to break into the Senate chamber.
Some reports said that at least one person was shot, and live video from news outlets showed a woman bleeding heavily while being wheeled out of the Capitol Building.
Another video was released showing an intruder shot by police in the Capitol Building.
Even as members of Congress hid and asked for gas masks, the National Guard had yet to be activated until nearly 4 p.m.
Even as the situation deteriorated, police allowed protesters to stay around the Capitol Building smashing windows.
Multiple members of Congress tweeted about the situation while hiding in rooms within the building.
The situation got so bad that police were forced to fire tear gas inside the Capitol Building.
Inside the Capitol Building, rioters fought with police while holding Trump flags.
The images coming from inside the Capitol Building were astounding for many, considering it is one of the most protected buildings in the country.
Even Republican officials were evacuated out of fear that the Trump supporters would harm them.
Police sent out requests for help as the riots inside the Capitol Building got out of control. There was fear that the rioters had weapons or bombs as they walked through both the House and Senate chambers as well as the offices of Congressional leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell.
Countless people online questioned how it was possible that the people were allowed to simply enter the Capitol Building considering the very violent response police officials had this summer to peaceful protests this summer over police brutality and racism.
The rioters did significant damage to the Capitol Building, smashing windows and releasing fire extinguishers.
CNN later reported that multiple police officers were injured.
After Republicans spent more than hour calling and begging, Trump finally deployed the National Guard to secure the Capitol Building.
In a statement, Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer
called for Trump to stop his supporters from doing more damage.
"We are calling on President Trump to demand that all protestors leave the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Grounds immediately," the congresspersons said.
