WASHINGTON — A woman was shot inside the U.S. Capitol Wednesday during a riot by Trump backers and later was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
Officials did not initially provide details on the woman, her hometown or which hospital she was taken to. U.S. Capitol Police did not respond to requests for comment.
However, Fox 5 DC identified her as Ashli Babbit, a 14-year Air Force veteran from of San Diego. D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee told the station that Babbit was shot by a Capitol police officer.
Lawmakers, including members of leadership such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), were taken to safe locations as thousands of pro-Trump extremists stormed the Capitol, where lawmakers were set to vote to certify the presidential election.
Prior to the attack on the Capitol, President Donald Trump held a rally where he repeated baseless claims that the presidential election was stolen from him and implored his supporters to make their way to the Capitol. Trump returned to the White House.
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department has opened an investigation.
Live TV coverage of the Capitol grounds on Wednesday night showed crowds continuing to mill around, despite a 6 p.m. curfew by District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Congress plans to resume its session Wednesday night certifying the election of President-elect Joe Biden, Pelosi said in a letter to members.
“We always knew this responsibility would take us into the night. The night may still be long but we are hopeful for a shorter agenda, but our purpose will be accomplished,” she said.
“We also knew that we would be a part of history in a positive way, today, despite ill-founded objections to the Electoral College vote. We now will be part of history, as such a shameful picture of our country was put out to the world, instigated at the highest level.”
This article has been updated to add additional information on the woman shot inside the Capitol.
