WASHINGTON — Four people are dead, 83 are arrested and 50 DC Police officers were injured amid pro-Trump riots and demonstrations near and at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, DC police say.
Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol grounds around 2 p.m., breaking into the US Capitol Building around 2:45 p.m., making it as far as the House Chambers where just minutes before the U.S. Congress was beginning to certify the electoral college results.
A woman was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer inside the U.S. Capitol building as Trump supporters tried to break into the House Chamber.
DC's Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Police Chief Robert Contee III said that as the rioters tried to gain access to the House Chamber after breaking into the U.S. Capitol building, a plain-clothed US Capitol Police officer fired one shot, striking a woman.
She was transported to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The other three deaths were medical emergencies that are not firearm-related, said DC Police. The victims are identified as:
- Benjamin Phillips, 50, of Ringtown, Pa.
- Kevin Greeson, 55, of Athens, Al.
- Roseanne Boyland, 34, Kennesaw, Ga.
Contee said during a news conference Thursday that one officer was snatched into a crowd and was beaten, kicked and shocked with a Taser.
During a news conference on Thursday, Bowser forcefully blamed President Trump, calling him an “unhinged president” who encouraged violence in the District by spreading “baseless conspiracy theories.'
"Any loss of life in the District is tragic," said Contee in a news conference Wednesday.
Four of those arrested Wednesday were charged with carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, possession of unregistered ammunition, according to DC Police.
Forty-seven were arrested because of disobeying the curfew put in place by DC's Mayor Bowser from 6 p.m. on Wednesday until 6 a.m. on Thursday. One person was arrested for possession of a prohibited weapon, which earlier Wednesday was described by DC Police as "illegal fireworks."
Of the 69 people arrested by DC Police, 26 of them were arrested at the US Capitol Building. The US Capitol Police also made 13 arrests for unlawful entry of the U.S. Capitol, and one additional arrest on the owner of a vehicle where pipe bombs were found.
The majority of arrests were people not from the DMV area. Some of the states that the arrested are from Michigan, Colorado, Texas and North Carolina. according to the information provided on those charged by DC Police.
Only 18 of those arrested are people from DC, Maryland or Virginia. Some of the suspects are from as far away as California, Colorado and Wyoming.
Contee and Bowser also confirm to WUSA9 that four D.C. residents were arrested by police.
Additionally, Contee also praised his officers' response to the situation at the Capitol Building.
"These officers should be commended for their work. They fought hard to protect our democracy. Not only today but every day they wear that uniform," said Contee.
Bowser said that DC Police will send out Be On the Look Out alerts (BOLO) for some of the people that breached the US Capitol Building.