Washington DC police say four people have died during the storming of the Capitol building.
In addition to the woman shot by police, three others died as a result of “medical emergencies”.
So far, more than 52 people have been arrested – 47 of them for curfew violations.
DC Mayor Bowser and police chief Robert Contee just held a presser about the Capitol Hill protest.
They said the woman who was shot was part of a group of multiple individuals that forced entry into the House room that was still in session.
They were confronted by plainclothes officers, and an officer pulled out a weapon and fired it.
Woman shot at Capitol is ‘military veteran’
US media are reporting the woman shot and killed during the storming of the Capitol was San Diego resident Ashli Babbitt. A US Air Force veteran, she is thought to have been shot after entering the building alongside other rioters.
US broadcaster Fox5 spoke to the woman’s mother-in-law who said Babbitt had been a Trump supporter.
She is thought to have been shot at around 15:00 Washington time, and was rushed to hospital but later pronounced dead.
Heavy police presence across DC
Police officers in riot gear continue to guard the streets around the Capitol. Washington’s mayor has issued an overnight curfew.
The DC police chief says as of 21:30 local time they had made 52 arrests, 4 for carrying pistols without licenses, 1 for carrying prohibited weapons, 47 for curfew violations and unlawful entry.
Two pipe bombs have been recovered, one from the Democratic National Committee offices, not far from the Capitol, and one from the nearby Republican National Committee headquarters.
Pro-Trump protesters storm US Capitol amid debate
Supporters of US President Donald Trump Wednesday breached the Capitol, where lawmakers were meeting to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s poll win.
In dramatic scenes, demonstrators swarmed near the building, as Congress members were escorted out by police.
The protests interrupted Congress as Republican lawmakers mounted their first official challenge to the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election win, objecting to state results from Arizona as they took up Trump’s relentless effort to overturn the election results in an extraordinary joint session of Congress.
U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence was pulled from the House Chamber floor as protesters stormed the Capitol building.
Video footage emerged showing protesters inside the building being escorted by security as the Capitol building entered a lockdown.
Earlier, Trump had urged the massive crowd of protesters to march towards the Capitol, vowing he would “never concede” to Biden.
joint session of Congress had been counting and confirming electoral college votes.
Proceedings are usually brief and ceremonial but Republican lawmakers are objecting to some results.
For days Trump has also been putting pressure on Vice-President Mike Pence, who had been presiding over the session, to block certification of the result.
But in a letter to Congress on Wednesday, Pence said that he had no “unilateral authority to decide which electoral votes should be counted”
The protesters arrived at the Capitol from a “Save America Rally”, where Trump had urged them to support those legislators opposing Biden’s confirmation.
Trump has refused to concede the 3 November election, repeatedly alleging fraud without providing any evidence.
On Wednesday, he said again: “We will never give up. We will never concede.”
He has also tried to throw doubt on the integrity of Tuesday’s Senate run-off votes in the southern, traditionally Republican, state of Georgia. Projections by US TV networks suggest the Democrats have won one of the seats and are neck-and-neck for the second seat.
If the Democrats win both they will gain effective control of the Senate – something that will help Biden push forward his agenda after he is inaugurated as president on 20 January
Courtesy. BBC News
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