Broken windows and guns drawn: Scenes from the US Capitol as DC rioters took over
As rioters descended upon the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, cameras captured broken glass and police drawing their guns.
The dramatic scenes unfolded after President Donald Trump at a speech in Washington, D.C., urged his supporters to walk to the Capitol. Without proof, Trump has repeatedly claimed there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election.
On the same day members of Congress met at the Capitol to certify Electoral College votes for Joe Biden’s presidency, a pro-Trump mob stormed inside. Photos show lawmakers were evacuated from the U.S. House chamber as the mob made its way in.
In the course of the chaotic day, one woman was shot and killed, and three others died from medical issues, McClatchy News reported.
Here are some more scenes from the nation’s capital:
Outside the building, crowds clashed with U.S. Capitol police. A photo from the Associated Press shows officers with riot gear confronting a group that attempts to get closer to the government building.
Also outside, Reuters captured rioters scaling the wall of the Capitol. Another photo taken at nightfall shows the sky lighting up from a “police munition,” according to the news organization.
Inside the Capitol, media outlets captured tense face-offs on camera. One Reuters photo shows the moment when a Capitol police officer deployed pepper spray at a rioter.
Another photo from Getty Images shows law enforcement officials pointing guns at a door inside the chamber where the U.S. House meets. Pro-Trump rioters had damaged the door during their breach, the news outlet reported.
During the takeover, Getty Images photographed one person carrying a lectern through the Capitol. He and several other people inside the building at the time of the siege were spotted wearing pro-Trump gear.
As rioters cleared, items were found disheveled throughout the Capitol building. Furniture was overturned, windows were broken and medical supplies were scattered across the floor, according to pictures from multiple news outlets.
This story was originally published January 7, 2021 at 12:31 PM with the headline "Broken windows and guns drawn: Scenes from the US Capitol as DC rioters took over."
