Capitol Police Left Open Path for Chaos to Take Deadly Turn (1)

The U.S. Capitol Police force was caught unprepared by a mob of pro-Trump extremists on Wednesday, in a failure to protect the seat of American democracy unparalleled in modern times.

Rioters, many bearing Trump garb, breached the barricades set up by the under-staffed police force and swarmed the Capitol, disrupting the certification of President-Elect Joe Biden’s election and forcing the evacuation of Vice President Mike Pence and other lawmakers.

Demonstrators clash with U.S. Capitol police officers while trying to enter the Capitol building on Jan. 6.

Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg

One woman was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer, Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee III told reporters on Wednesday night, without providing more details about the circumstances ...