Four people died after Trump supporters overran Capitol Police and rioted through the halls of Congress in a failed effort to block President-elect Joe Biden’s victory from being certified, CNN reports.
Four people died during the melee, police said. One woman was fatally shot by Capitol Police after she tried to break into the House chamber. Three others died of “separate medical emergencies,” police said.
The woman was shot in the chest while "one adult female and two adult males appear to have suffered from separate medical emergencies, which resulted in their deaths,” DC Police Chief Robert Contee said. “Any loss of life in the District is tragic and our thoughts are with anyone impacted by their loss.”
At least 52 people were arrested on Wednesday, half of them on Capitol grounds he said.
Multiple police officers and a handful of civilians were also injured.
Woman identified as QAnon-backing vet:
The woman killed in the armed standoff at the House chamber was identified as Ashli Babbit, a 14-year Air Force veteran.
Social media posts show that Babbit was an ardent QAnon supporter.
"I really don’t know why she decided to do this," her mother-in-law told Fox 5 DC.
She and her husband own a business in San Diego.
Her husband did not come to DC.
Babbit was pronounced dead shortly after she was taken to a local hospital.
Rioters overran Capitol Police:
Rioters clashed with police for over an hour on Wednesday afternoon and overran the officers to breach the Capitol complex.
At around 3 pm, Capitol Police engaged in an armed standoff when rioters tried to breach the House chamber. Some were able to breach the Senate chamber.
Police used smoke grenades and tear gas to try to clear protesters as they invaded lawmakers’ offices.
The Capitol was cleared shortly after 5 pm.
Congress reconvened its joint session at around 8 pm and ultimately affirmed Biden as the election victor at around 3:40 am.
