Washington, D.C., police are now saying the woman who was shot this afternoon at the United States Capitol amid a riot has died.
The woman has not been identified and it is not known whether she is a staffer, a bystander, or a protester, but she was reportedly shot in the chest this afternoon during a riot that saw supporters of President Donald Trump storm the United States Capitol, breaking doors and windows and taking over the building.
NBC News reported that the woman was shot by law enforcement.
‘BREAKING: 1 person was shot this afternoon inside the U.S. Capitol building by a member of law enforcement as Trump supporters stormed the building, several law enforcement officials say,” the outlet noted on Twitter
ABC News reported earlier in the day that a “woman was shot inside the Capitol and seriously injured…A source familiar with the situation said DC Fire-EMS is transporting a woman in critical condition to a local hospital.”
“It’s unclear what led to the shooting,” the outlet continued. “Images showed officers with weapons drawn.”
“The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting were unclear. The person said the victim had been taken to a hospital,” the AP noted. “The shooting came as dozens of Trump supporters breached security perimeters and entered the U.S. Capitol as Congress was meeting, expected to vote and affirm Joe Biden’s presidential win.”
A separate video showed the woman being removed from the Capitol on a stretcher. A police officer was also injured.
Images that circulated Wednesday afternoon showed several officers in the House chambers with guns drawn on protesters trying to enter the session room through a small window. Several altercations between rioters and law enforcement took place inside the Capitol building, tear gas was reportedly released inside the Capitol Rotunda, and members of the House and Senate, who were present to vote on certifying the results of the Electoral College decision from November, were escorted from the building.
In addition to the shooting, pipe bombs were reportedly found near the Republican National Committee’s headquarters and a suspicious package was identified outside the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters. An IED was also found on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, according to NBC News and law enforcement sources.
In the afternoon, the vice president, in concert with the leaders of the House and Senate, asked the Defense Department to authorize activation of the National Guard. By late afternoon, the National Guard, the Secret Service, and SWAT teams from several government agencies, including the FBI, were on the scene to clear out the Capitol building.
Related: Shots Fired Inside Capitol, Rioters Storm Senate, Members Of Congress Don Gas Masks
Related: IED Found on Capitol Hill
This is a developing story, please refresh for updates.