(Photo : Getty Images: John Moore / Staff)
A woman was shot fatally inside the U.S. Capitol Wednesday. She has been identified as Ashli Babbitt, verified to Fox News by a good friend.
In connection with media studies, Babbitt was a 14-year veteran who completed 4 Air Force tours and lived in San Diego. Babbitt's husband wasn't with her in D.C. According to records, the couple owned a company together accordingly.
US Capitol Riot: Leads to a Fatal and Untimely Death of San Diego Woman
The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department told Fox News that early reports said the woman was shot in the chest and transported from the building shortly before 3 p.m. Who fired the shot or what contributed to the shooting was not clear.
The victim was a strong supporter of President Trump, said her husband in WTTG-TV. "I really don't know why she decided to do this," Babbitt's mother-in-law expresses to the local Fox affiliate in D.C.
As the media and lawmakers returned to resume a joint session of Congress hours earlier, the authorities were in riot gear protecting the US Capitol when a crowd breached security and stormed the house, resulting in the fatal shooting.
The shooting occurred as tens of thousands of demonstrators smashed barricades and stormed the U.S. Capitol building as legislators assembled to vote to certify U.S. President-elect Joe Biden.
On Wednesday, both chambers of Congress unexpectedly recessed as they discussed the Electoral College vote that gave the presidency to Joe Biden.
Within the US Capitol, an announcement was made as lawmakers were meeting and expected to vote to affirm Joe Biden's victory. No one may enter or leave the Capitol complex because of an "external security threat", the recording said.
At the bottom of the Capitol stairs, protesters ripped down metal barricades and were confronted by riot gear officers.
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When they invaded the US Capitol and threatened police officers, Trump encouraged his followers to "remain peaceful!" in a tweet.
Trump wrote, "I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful," and added. "No violence! " as his starting message. "Remember, that WE are the Party of Law & Order - respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!" End of the tweet.
Throughout the US Capitol, FBI agents, Department of Homeland Security, also from Secret Service, and the Capitol Police were deployed to stop any more disturbances that marred the scheduled electoral vote analysis on Wednesday.
Because of the incident, a police memorandum was sent to lawmakers that read: "Due to police activity, all the personnel are advised to relocate from the Cannon House Office Building to the Rayburn and Longworth House Office Buildings through the underground tunnels. Do not evacuate outside the buildings. All personnel should shelter in place in the Rayburn and Longworth House Office buildings." as indicated on the statement.
The U.S. Capitol complex was locked down because of the incident. An announcement played that said anyone there should "move away from windows and doors" and that "no one can leave or enter." At the same time, people were still permitted to move inside the building.
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