US Capitol Violence: Death toll rises to 4, public emergency in Washington DC
January 7, 2021 11:14 am
Four people died as supporters of President Donald Trump violently occupied the US Capitol.
Washington, DC, Police Chief Robert Contee said the dead on Wednesday included a woman who was shot by the US Capitol Police, as well as three others who died in “medical emergencies.”
DC Fire and Emergency Medical services transported people to area hospitals with injuries ranging from cardiac arrest to multiple fractures after falling from scaffolding on the West front of the Capitol building. However, city officials did not say whether any of these people are the ones now deceased.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced she is extending the public emergency to 15 days, as a result of rioters overtaking the US Capitol building earlier today. This will take the emergency declaration until the day after President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
The mayor says that the people who stormed the Capitol, “sought to disrupt the Congressional proceedings relating to the acceptance of Electoral College votes.” “Persons are dissatisfied with judicial rulings and the findings of State Boards of Elections, and some persons can be expected to continue their violent protests through the inauguration.”
The riot started when Congress that was holding a joint session to ratify the electoral the Electoral College votes electing Democrats Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President.
Thousands of the rioters shouting “Trump” and “USA, USA” overwhelmed the police and pushed the barriers around the Capitol and rushed after the joint session adjourned for the Senate and the House of Representatives met separately to consider objections to the Electoral College votes from Arizona.
The woman was shot earlier Wednesday as the mob tried to break through a barricaded door in the Capitol where police were armed on the other side. She was hospitalized with a gunshot wound and later died.
Police Chief Robert Contee says officials have declared the scene a riot. Thirteen arrests were made of people from out of the area.
Mayor Muriel Bowser says the behaviour of the Trump supporters was “shameful, unpatriotic and above all is unlawful.”
She says, “There will be law and order and this behaviour will not be tolerated.”
-Agencies
