Violent protests erupted on Wednesday as the US Congress met to count and certify the US Electoral College votes - a move that will cement President-elect Joe Biden's position. With less than two weeks left before President Trump's tenure ends, vociferous allegations of voter fraud have not ceased. With legal cases not having had much success, many pro-Trump supporters, and indeed the President himself appears to have pinned their hopes on Wednesday.
The altercation, which went for for approximately four hours saw violent clashes with officials and even vandalism. According to reports, four people have been killed. This includes a woman shot inside the Capitol who was later pronounced dead at an area hospital. According to reports, she has been identified as Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt. Video posted on social media showed a crowd inside the Capitol. A gunshot was heard and then the woman, wearing a Trump banner around her neck, dropped to the ground. She could later be seen being loaded into an ambulance with blood around her upper body, according to the Washington Post.
But she is not the only casualty. According to an Associated Press report, four people have died as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. According to DC police officials, they have recovered two pipe bombs and a cooler containing a long gun and Molotov cocktail on Capitol grounds.
According to reports, 52 people have been arrested thus far. Congress proceedings resumed after the threat posed by the protesters had been removed and the Capitol cleared by law enforcement officials.
