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🚨WATCH J6: A True Timeline🚨 "This video is eye-opening" "Extremely detailed timeline" "Best documentary I have seen to date on January 6th" See the events as they unfolded in real time, and then demand that Donald Trump declassify everything about J6! @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/IcL5Gp44To
Video Transcript AI Summary
January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., saw the U.S. Capitol become the center of a chaotic event following a large rally where supporters gathered to express concerns over the election results. The day began peacefully, with crowds assembling at various locations, including the Ellipse for President Trump's speech. As Trump urged attendees to march to the Capitol, tensions escalated. Key moments included the first breach of barricades, the involvement of individuals like Ray Epps, and police responses that included the use of munitions. Tragically, several individuals lost their lives amid the chaos, including Ashley Babbitt, who was shot, and others who suffered medical emergencies. The day concluded with the Capitol being declared secure after a curfew was imposed, and Congress resumed its certification of the electoral votes later that evening. The events of January 6 continue to impact American politics and discourse.
Full Transcript
Speaker 0: January 6, 2021. Washington DC. The US Capitol Building. An event that has been reported on more than any other in modern history. Despite excessive coverage, articles, books, documentaries, and congressional inquiries, many details about the timeline of events that day remain unknown to the public.
Understanding what actually happened on January 6th without bias and with as much context as possible is extremely difficult. News organizations and mass media have controlled the story of that day. Big tech and social media companies have censored, shadow banned, and deplatformed eyewitness accounts, which further skews and misrepresents the truth from that day. Many of us still do not know the names of those who were killed at the capital and the causes of their deaths. This video seeks to create a thorough and truthful timeline of the events of January 6th while shedding light on unheard stories, unseen footage, and new details.
When facts are cherry picked for the sake of political narratives, We The People suffer. Truth, not agenda, is the motivation for this timeline. Prior to January 6, 2021, there had been a hundreds of peaceful rallies following the November 2020 election. Polls showed that many Americans were concerned with election irregularities in key states that ended up deciding the presidential election for Joe Biden. None of these rallies ever turned violent.
The morning of January 6th started no different than any of those other rallies. American citizens showing up together to express their First Amendment protected right to petition their government with a meaningful concern. The mood of the crowd appeared to be joyful and hopeful. It would be the last chance to see the president give a large speech to the nation. To properly understand the events that would soon unfold, it's important to acknowledge that there were many areas of interest that day where crowds were congregating.
Those attending president Trump's speech assembled at the Ellipse, a 52 acre park located directly south of the White House and approximately 1 mile from the Capitol. Space was limited there, and the crowd was so big that a sea of people extended all the way to the Washington Monument. Elsewhere in Washington DC, crowds would assemble in the morning at both the west and the east side of the capitol. Still others would loiter in the vicinity to await the next event that would take place that day, of which there were multiple permit holders in the area. In our first look inside the capitol building at 11:21 AM, CCTV picks up VP elect Kamala Harris exiting the building through the east senate carriage doors.
At 11:41 AM, Ryan Samsel, a man who will later be pivotal in the first breach of the capitol, crosses the street past multiple officers. Seconds later, the acting US attorney for the District of Columbia, Michael Sherwin, wearing plain clothes is seen crossing the same intersection. Sherwin would go on to lead the investigations of Samsel and hundreds of others. 4 minutes later, the same officer whose body cam recorded that interaction is moving through the crowd, responding to a call of a person with a gun. The crowd is compliant as the officers move through the space.
They reach their intended target, and after a few minutes of questioning, let the man go. He had no firearm and was only carrying a knife.
Speaker 1: I almost saw that handle and thought it was a hand gun. Oh, yeah. This is my car. Okay? There's no question or issues.
Alright. Issues. Yeah. Alright. Alright.
Be safe. Thank you. You too. You guys be safe. Trump.
Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump.
Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump.
President Trump took the microphone at 12:0:1 PM.
Speaker 2: Media will not show the magnitude of this crowd. Even I when I turned on today, I looked and I saw thousands of people here, but you don't see hundreds of thousands of people behind you because they don't wanna show that.
Speaker 0: The president gave a speech that morning that was very similar in tone and in style to the many campaign speeches and post election speeches he had given to audiences around the country.
Speaker 1: So I'm listening to the speech in my ear, thanks to Scott.
Speaker 0: At the exact time that Trump begins his speech, a live streamer is at Peace Circle at the precise location that the first Capitol Barricade breach will occur 53 minutes later. You can see the metal bike rack fencing separating the street from the sidewalks in front of the capitol building. These area closed signs were posted in compliance with a restriction that went into effect September 7, 2020 due to the construction of the inauguration stage. At 12:0:4 PM, a group of demonstrators, including members of the Proud Boys, are seen walking west on Constitution Avenue toward First Street while being flanked by police officers from the DC Metropolitan Police Department.
Speaker 1: Well, they're gonna win it. Flanked by the DCPD. 60 3 pages.
Speaker 0: 15 minutes into his remarks, president Trump mentions for the first time that after his speech, the crowd will be walking to the Capitol. For context, let's hear the president's full remarks during this portion of his speech.
Speaker 2: Now it is up to congress
Speaker 1: to
Speaker 2: confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, we're gonna walk down, and I'll be there with you. We're gonna walk down we're gonna walk down anyone you want, but I think right here, we're gonna walk down to the capital and we're gonna cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we're probably not gonna be cheering so much for some of them because you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated.
I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.
Speaker 0: 6 minutes following these remarks, the group of proud boys and demonstrators seen previously being flanked by the DCMPD have stopped for lunch at a row of food trucks in front of the US Department of Labor on Constitution Avenue. Eddie Block, seen here in a scooter, tells a live streamer the immediate plans of the group.
Speaker 1: Where, where are we headed? We're heading back
Speaker 3: to the route.
Speaker 1: Oh, okay. Was there was there nothing going on at the, Capitol? Tomorrow. We're over here. Not really.
Not really. We're just kinda marching around letting people know we're here. Okay. Good time. Yeah.
Alright.
Speaker 0: 6 minutes after this interaction, at 12:30 PM, the US Capitol Police report a very large group heading to the Capitol from eastbound on Pennsylvania Avenue at approximately Seventh Street.
Speaker 4: Cruiser 50. It does look like we're gonna have an ad hoc march stepping off here. There's a crowd surge heading east.
Speaker 0: At the same time, police body cam records police intervening between Trump supporters and a counter protester. The police encourage the crowd to keep marching toward the capitol.
Speaker 1: Come on, guys. Let's keep the march going. Let's keep it going. Let's keep it going.
Speaker 0: President Trump won't be finished speaking at the Ellipse for another 40 minutes. During this time, a man named Ray Epps was filmed on the streets directing the crowd to the capitol building.
Speaker 1: As soon as president Trump is finished speaking, we are going to the capitol in that direction. That's where our true problems are. President Trump is done speaking. We are going to the Capitol. That's where our problem we are going to the Capitol.
Where our problems are. It's that direction.
Speaker 0: He was filmed the night prior, urging the crowd to go inside the Capitol.
Speaker 1: I'm gonna put it out there. I'm probably gonna go to jail for it. Okay? Tomorrow, we need to go into the capitol. Into the capitol.
Peacefully.
Speaker 0: The crowd surrounding him instantly calls him out as a fed. At 12:35 PM, Mike Pence's motorcade is seen heading to the capitol, turning left on Constitution Avenue from Louisiana Avenue.
Speaker 1: Call go stop. Where am I? Stay back. Stay back, please. Alright.
Let's stop. Stay back.
Speaker 0: A minute later, at 12:36, vice president Mike Pence arrives at the US Capitol. The vice president's motor cave has just arrived at the Capitol in advance of the joint session. The certification is to begin in 24 minutes at 1 PM Eastern. As Mike Pence arrives, a crowd is already assembled at the barricades in front of the east plaza of the Capitol.
Speaker 1: Mike Wagner.
Speaker 0: At this exact moment, president Trump is mentioning Mike Pence's upcoming certification at his speech on the Ellipse over a mile away.
Speaker 2: But now they see all this stuff. It's all come to life. Doesn't happen that fast. And they wanna recertify their votes. They wanna recertify.
But the only way that can happen is if Mike Pence agrees to send it back. Mike Pence has to agree to send it back.
Speaker 0: A minute later at 12:45 PM, a DC police camera captures what looks like a wall of people suddenly arriving about a block west of the capitol. Video footage captured moments later shows demonstrators gathering at Peace Circle where Pennsylvania Avenue terminates as a street and turns into Pennsylvania Walkway, a path that leads directly to the west side of the capitol.
Speaker 3: Are you aware of the US Capitol Police directive initiated by then sergeant at arms Paul Irving to the architect of the Capitol sent on January 5th to move approximately 500 bike racks serving as security barricades away from First Street Northeast and Constitution Avenue to the east front?
Speaker 5: No, sir. I'm not aware of that. We have not, delved into that.
Speaker 3: This week, we've uncovered emails from the architect of the capitol where it's clear that this was directed by the house sergeant at arms against legitimate security concerns from the AOC where the AOC, rep Blanton, called it illogical. This is yet another example of the dysfunction of the security decision making process of the Capitol Police Board.
Speaker 0: Back outside where the crowd has gathered at Peace Circle, there are 2 sets of metal barricades here behind which only 5 Capitol police officers can be seen guarding this entrance while every member of congress convenes in the building behind them. Just south of this path, a man in a black ski mask removes a barrier and waves the crowd onto the west lawn of the capitol, while members in the crowd shout at him. With this view, you can see the moment that the first set of bike racks come down and the crowd begins to quickly advance on the second set of gates. Ryan Samsel, who we saw earlier in white hoodie and red baseball cap, approaches the police line. This would become the first major breach of the capitol grounds and skirmish with capitol police.
We will show this crucial interaction in its entirety and use multiple angles to see what happens at this all important flash point. Ray Epps, who we just saw calling for demonstrators to enter the capital, can be seen approaching the front of the barricades and speaking to Ryan Samsel. Moments later, the barricade is pushed directly into the police line. After the gate is forcefully pushed forward, US Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards is knocked to the ground. Ryan Samsel immediately runs to her aid to help her get back on her feet.
The first violent skirmish of the day between demonstrators and police had begun.
Speaker 1: President
Speaker 0: Trump remains speaking on the Ellipse.
Speaker 2: In Clark County, Nevada, the accuracy settings on signature verification machines were purposely lowered before they were used to count over 130,000 ballots. If you signed your name as Santa Claus, it would go through.
Speaker 0: Just to the south at the First Street Southwest in Maryland Avenue Circle, demonstrators knocked down a second gate. Crowds are now advancing on the west front of the capitol from two locations. With multiple lightly manned police barricades down, the enlivened crowd makes their way quickly to the next barrier, the metal gates in front of the west plaza of the capital. Samsel can be seen tapping the shoulder of officer Edwards and saying something to her. Looking over the west side of the capitol from a security camera on the exterior dome, we can see how quickly the crowd is able to fill the area in front of the west plaza.
From this point forward, those in the crowd entering onto Capitol grounds may have seen no indications or warnings that they were in an area that was previously guarded by police and secured by barriers. At 12:58 PM, the lightweight fencing on the west lawn is pulled down completely by just a few people. It is on this fence that signs with the words area closed are affixed. Thousands of people who will walk up to the capitol after 1 PM will never see these signs. USA.
USA. USA.
Speaker 1: USA. USA. USA. USA. USA.
USA. USA. USA. USA. USA.
USA. USA.
Speaker 0: Zooming in closer to the northwest corner of the plaza, we once again see Ray Epps at the head of the crowd in front of the next set of police barricades. So far, we've seen him the previous day calling for the crowd to enter the capital. We saw him that morning, directing people to the capital. We saw him at the first gate breach, and now here he is at the second major gate breach. And it won't be the last we see of him.
Directly in front of him is where the crowd breaches the metal gates and enters onto the west plaza of the capital. At 12:59 PM, a man on the northwest sidewalk collapses.
Speaker 1: Can you please have someone respond to my location? The bottom of the front with an individual that's down here, unconscious and not briefed.
Speaker 0: The man's name is Benjamin Phillips. He is a computer programmer from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania who traveled to DC to support president Trump. A crowd of people, including police officers, form around him to assist with life saving measures. While Benjamin Phillips fights for his life outside, inside the capitol, vice president Mike Pence is entering the house chamber to convene the joint session to certify the electoral votes. President Donald Trump is still speaking to a large crowd at the Ellipse, unaware of the crowd that has already amassed at the capitol.
Speaker 2: Clear evidence that tens of thousands of votes were switched from president Trump to former vice president Biden.
Speaker 6: Madam speaker, members of congress, pursuant to the constitution and the laws of the United States, the senate and house of representatives are meeting in joint session. Verify the certificates and count the votes of the electors in several states, president and vice president of the United States.
Speaker 0: Back outside on the west plaza, United States Capitol Police Deputy Chief Waldo orders the less lethal team to get into position.
Speaker 1: Unit 6, I need less lethal teams that could come up from the upper west stairs and take an elevated position.
Speaker 4: They're not compliant, climbing, stapling. Let me know when
Speaker 1: the less lethal teams are in place.
Speaker 0: 1 minute later, the less lethal team moves into place. At 1:0:6 PM, deputy chief Waldo orders the less lethal team to launch.
Speaker 1: Unit 6, I got a crowd fighting with officer, pushing, throwing projectile. I have given warnings about chemical munitions. I need the less lethal munitions. I need the left and legal team positioned above me to identify the agitator to start deploying. Launch.
Launch. Launch.
Speaker 0: US Capitol Police inspector Lloyd is seen signaling officers above on the terrace to open fire on the crowd. Joshua Matthew Black, a 46 year old man from Alabama, is shot with a round that tears open and lodges in his cheek.
Speaker 1: You're shooting us. Oh, we don't. We need medical something. Are wrong. Wrong.
Wrong. Wrong.
Speaker 0: Safety procedures for using these rounds state not to fire at someone at eye level.
Speaker 1: I was at the front line trying to to keep the peace between the hatred trying to to keep the peace between the Patriots and the people that were hired by the government. And, I I caught a shot to the face, and then, that's about it.
Speaker 0: Deputy chief Waldo orders a second deployment of munitions.
Speaker 4: Chris, I got the I need more the best and legal teams over here. The indirect firing is not working. They are still, not compliant. We've continued to give, I've continued to give possible warnings about, chemical munitions being released. They are not dispersing.
Speaker 0: Although chief Waldo has broadcast over the radio twice that he has given warnings, no video that day captures these warnings. DC law on crowd dispersal procedures states that before any munitions are used against a crowd, officers must issue at least 3 clearly audible and understandable orders to disperse using an amplification system, as well as to provide participants reasonable and adequate time to disperse and a clear safe route for dispersal. Just feet away, Benjamin Phillips fights for his life. He has been down on the ground and not breathing for 13 minutes.
Speaker 1: 1:30. Where's the ambulance for this guy on the lower west?
Speaker 0: President Trump is finishing his speech at the Ellipse at 1:12 PM. In a rarely seen split screen view, let's simultaneously see different events happening around the capitol in real time.
Speaker 2: So let's walk down Pennsylvania Avenue. I wanna thank you all. God bless you, and god bless America. Thank you all for being here. This is incredible.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1: Ballot from Arizona.
Speaker 6: Is the objection in writing and signed by a senator?
Speaker 2: Yes. It is.
Speaker 0: As representative Paul Gosar and senator Ted Cruz make a challenge on the floor of the house, MPD officer Daniel Thau arrives at the southwest section of the plaza. His body cam shows him and nearby officers spraying demonstrators with an inflammatory agent. From a different officer's body cam, the familiar face of Ray Epps can be seen in the area that the police are trying to control. Back where we can see simultaneous angles, we can see Trump waving to the crowd after his 1 hour and 11 minute speech, The last speech he will give in front of a crowd as president of the United States. Gosar and Cruz are having their objections to the electoral vote of Arizona read on the house floor.
Ray Epps is at the front of the police line speaking to officers.
Speaker 1: Appreciate you guys. Appreciate you guys.
Speaker 0: At 1:13 PM, officer Thao is frantically calling for more munitions.
Speaker 1: Hey. We need more ammunition. Hey. We need blaster. What do we got?
I'm panicking it. We gotta get something, man. Hold on. We got the back.
Speaker 0: At 1:15 PM, officer Thau crosses the line and engages with demonstrators. As the scuffle ensues, he discharges 2 rounds from his taser, also known as an ECD.
Speaker 1: 2 ECDs at 1.
Speaker 0: He then witnesses what he calls an APO or an assault on a police officer.
Speaker 1: APO. No.
Speaker 0: With 30 officers between him and the crowd, it's unclear what assault he thought he saw in that moment. A few 100 feet away, back on the northwest sidewalk, Benjamin Phillips has been loaded onto a makeshift stretcher and is being carried north to a waiting ambulance.
Speaker 1: Hello, sir. They're hanging the patient up to the ambulance right now. They are refusing to come down.
Speaker 0: Tragically, Phillips would be pronounced dead at the hospital later that day. Benjamin Phillips leaves behind 2 teenage children. Back inside the capitol building at 1:17 PM, vice president Mike Pence and senators return to the senate chamber to debate the electoral vote challenge put forth by representative Paul Gosar. At 1:17 PM, a second wave of DC Metropolitan Police officers show up on the east side of the capital. They are the first to bring in explosive ammunition rounds that they will soon distribute to officers on the west plaza.
Officer Tara Tindall is crouched on the ground readying CS gas
Speaker 1: routes.
Speaker 0: After expending all his munitions, officer Thao yells at the officers on the west terrace of the capital above them to start shooting what they have into the crowd. Commander, we need that.
Speaker 1: Let's go. Just shoot it. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
Speaker 0: Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop. At 1:21 PM, the explosive munitions that arrived 4 minutes earlier have made their way to officers on the west plaza. The first one fired into the crowd can be seen on the lower right of your screen.
No. At 1:24 PM, on scene commander officer Robert Glover gives the first audible authorization to deploy explosives into the crowd.
Speaker 1: Deploy. They fall. They fall. Deploy.
Speaker 0: The demonstrators at the west plaza of the capital will be hit by an unrelenting barrage of grenades, incendiaries, rubber bullets, and gas for the next hour.
Speaker 1: Hey. Hey. Fire. We got another individual down. People are going to see people on the DC part of the process.
It's all here to take that.
Speaker 0: At 1:28 PM, a man has collapsed on the west plaza and is attended to by people in the crowd.
Speaker 1: They can't get anybody in here, and the cops are throwing flashbangs into the crowd.
Speaker 0: He is unresponsive for several minutes. Fearing the risk of trampling, they carry him to a different location where they continue to try to resuscitate him.
Speaker 1: He's been he's having a heart attack. He's been on the ground for 6 minutes. They carried him. Him. They've been doing CPR.
I think that man probably died.
Speaker 0: I hope they saved his life. Kevin Greeson leaves behind a wife and 5 children. Around 1:30 PM, on the southwest side of the plaza, officers push the crowd back and are able to establish a police line again. The police will hold this line for about an hour. Just inside the capitol, representative Zoe Lofgren, Democrat from California, is responding to the challenge of the electoral count.
Speaker 7: The votes are simply to be counted as certified and transmitted by the states.
Speaker 0: At 1:32 PM, an officer laments that chucking grenades into the crowd is just going to make things worse.
Speaker 1: It's just gonna make it worse. Hey, stop. Hold. Hold fire. Hold fire.
Hold fire. Hold fire. Hey. Hold fire. Hold fire.
Get the shit. Get the fuck. Hold fire.
Speaker 0: Moments later, the same officer seems to have changed his mind and is actively searching for munitions to discharge in the crowd.
Speaker 1: I'm coming out with smoke. I got the burner by the way.
Speaker 0: A burner or hot burning smoke grenade can get extremely hot and become a fire risk.
Speaker 1: They come down for it? Hey. Can they throw it back? They did. Okay.
Speaker 0: The smoke grenade is tossed back behind the police line by someone in the crowd. Eric.
Speaker 1: Eric, do we have any scat rounds?
Speaker 0: Officer Thao goes back for more rounds. This time, it's a CS gas canister.
Speaker 1: I need triple chasers.
Speaker 0: A triple chaser consists of 3 separate canisters pressed together with separating charges between each. When deployed, the canisters separate and land approximately 20 feet apart, allowing increased area coverage. After not receiving approval to use the triple chaser, officer Thau appears to be reprimanded by another officer for his use of smoke moments earlier.
Speaker 1: I got a triple chaser on that. Yes. I know. But this is a triple chaser. I know.
But just splint it. I mean, I got people.
Speaker 0: Another captain tells officer Thau to hold on discharging CS gas into the crowd.
Speaker 1: Take your step back. Take your step back.
Speaker 0: At around this same time, Ray Epps is once again caught from multiple cameras being at the front line of the demonstrators near police barricades. No other person has been seen at this many flash points this many times. He walks freely up and down the police barricades multiple times, communicating with other demonstrators in a similar fashion to when we saw him whisper in Ryan Samsel's ear earlier before the first breach. Around 1:40 PM, Ray Epps is one of the members of the crowd who helps lift up a large Trump sign and push it into the line of police officers on the west plaza of the capitol. At 1:41 PM, body cam footage from officer Anthony Alioto records a discussion about the dangers of using CS gas in their situation.
The officer petitions not to have Robert Glover, the on scene commander, authorize use of CS gas in the area.
Speaker 1: But what I'm saying is do not let Glover authorize CS. I don't know. I don't know. I don't just I have a problem for all.
Speaker 0: 8 minutes later, at 1:49 PM, a riot is officially declared at the US Capitol.
Speaker 1: We're gonna try to get compliance, but this is now effectively a riot.
Speaker 8: 1:49 hours declaring it a riot.
Speaker 0: The fears of officer Alioto are soon realized when at 1:50 PM, officers use CS gas on the northwest side of the plaza, and effectively gas themselves with aid from the wind. You can see multiple officers struggling from the effects of the CS gas.
Speaker 1: Tina, be careful. It's blowing right back. I know. Yeah. It's in my it's in my eye.
You want it? Here. Don't rub it. You know that. No.
No. No. You're breaking.
Speaker 0: Over on the east side of the capitol, the gates have successfully held the crowd back for over an hour from when the west side was first breached. At 1:59 PM, that all changes. The demonstrators overpower the police and begin to make their way toward the East Steps.
Speaker 1: Police are squabbling with protesters. Oh, there we go. And they just reached the castle again.
Speaker 0: Back on the northwest side of the capital, a man named Derek Vargo is ascending to the west terrace on the outside railing of the stairway. He is sprayed in the eyes with an inflammatory agent. Vargo reacts by heading back down the way he came when he is shoved off the wall by officer Bryant Williams, leading to a 25 foot drop. Vargo is carried away on a makeshift stretcher by officers and bystanders. Vargo suffered a fractured ankle and extensive mid foot injuries that would require surgeries to repair.
He lives with constant foot pain, pain in the middle of his spine, and suffers from post traumatic stress disorder that causes him flashbacks and nightmares of being pushed off the railing. At 2:0:3 PM, the first dispersal order is heard coming from a mobile LRAD or long range acoustic device. DC law requires police to give 3 separate warning with the LRAD system and an opportunity to disperse before using violence or munitions to clear a protest crowd. At 2:0:6 PM, police retreat up the east steps of the capitol. Demonstrators soon follow and ascend the steps.
We hear the LRAD again at 2:0:7 PM. They are to comply with this order, and they subject you to a ref. It's unlikely that demonstrators heard either of these warnings given the situation on the plaza, which calls into question the earlier stated DC law that requires these announcements to be clearly audible and to provide participants reasonable and adequate time to disperse. Back on the east side of the capitol at 2:0:9 PM, Hunter Emke is seen kicking in and punching multiple windows. He is quickly tackled and detained by police.
At 2:10 PM, demonstrators reach the west terrace and push through police barricades. They will quickly move to what will become the first points of entry to the interior of the capital. A man throws a 2 by 4 through a glass pane, the first such broken window on the west side of the capitol. Shortly thereafter, Dominic Pizzola pushes the window in using a police riot shield. Protesters will soon enter the building through these breach points.
At 2:12, Ray Epps sends a text message to his nephew telling him that he orchestrated the protest at the Capitol and that he helped get people there. The video evidence we have seen thus far seems to back up his claim.
Speaker 1: Hey. Frank, you got anything else?
Speaker 0: Back on the west plaza of the capital, officer Thao receives a Stinger 40 millimeter, 60 caliber rubber balls round and rushes to fire it into the crowd. This crowd management round contains approximately 18 rubber balls.
Speaker 1: Hey, I need a round. Good CF.
Speaker 0: 30 seconds later, he's given a baton round, a round that contains 3 40 millimeter rubber projectiles. He again heads over to the police line to fire it into the crowd. At 2:16 PM, the parliamentarian doors are open from the inside, providing another access point for demonstrators to enter the building. Down on the west plaza, officer Thao refers to police activity as, quote, shooting zombies.
Speaker 1: Zombies. Alright. We're completely around.
Speaker 0: At 2:18 PM, after a few minutes of confusion inside the room, the house calls a recess during its debate over an objection to the electoral votes from Arizona.
Speaker 9: Without objection, the chair declares the house in recess pursuant to clause 12 b of rule 1.
Speaker 0: At 2:18 PM, police body cam picks up a tense conversation among officers, where one officer admits that they're hitting innocent people. You guys.
Speaker 1: We have nothing to help. We're gonna win that off. Yeah. I know. Right.
We're gonna win that off for them. We'll get them away. A lot of pain supplies when you hit these people. And and not only that, we're taking out 1 and 10 of them are getting reindeer. It's it's we're multiplying them by hitting them.
Speaker 0: At 2:24 PM, John Earl Sullivan is recording as he is one of the first of the demonstrators to enter the Capitol rotunda.
Speaker 1: 20 21,
Speaker 2: y'all. This is insanity. Holy what is this? What is life?
Speaker 0: At the same time, a few blocks away, MPD officers are discussing new plans to enter the Capitol to support US Capitol Police. They're gonna burn that
Speaker 1: building now. That's fine. And we'll figure it out. Alright. They better reach out to the military right now is what they better do.
Get the national guards to do the
Speaker 9: get them down here.
Speaker 1: Do you know where, we're suiting up or going in? We are? Yes. Where? Damn.
Are you here that?
Speaker 0: Still at 2:24 PM, Mike Pence has moved from the senate chamber to his office across the hall. The senate remains in session as senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell speaks on the floor. Also, at 2:24 PM, president Trump tweets, Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our constitution, giving states a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth. This would be a significant tweet to the January 6th committee, for they claimed that it was the motivation for a surge into the capital complex.
Speaker 10: Our investigation found that immediately after the president's 2:24 PM tweet, the crowds both outside the capital and inside the capital surged.
Speaker 0: What the January 6th committee failed to mention was that it was officers misusing munitions and CS gas at that same time that led to a surge.
Speaker 1: Hey, Rich. Yeah. Put up the scaffolding.
Speaker 0: At the urging of officer Thao, a DC MPD officer attempts to fire a CS gas canister into the crowd.
Speaker 1: We're fired up in here, man. Over there. Alright. Before this, I don't have my I got it. Go.
Just
Speaker 0: A short time later, after being gassed out, the police are forced to fall back, and they soon lose their position. As officers on the west plaza, unequipped with gas masks, struggle breathing, the plume of CS gas can be seen from the overhead camera on the lower right corner of your screen. It blows over the entire area of the west plaza that the police had secured for nearly an hour. Within 3 minutes of the officer CS gas misfire, the police line on the west plaza entirely collapses. Back on the east side at 2:24 PM, demonstrators are able to force open doors from the inside.
These are the Columbus doors, which lead a short way to the rotunda of the Capitol. Back outside on the west plaza, an elderly woman is violently pushed by police down a set of concrete stairs 3 times, which incites the crowd around her.
Speaker 1: Did you hear that? Yep. We're trying to make it to, the end of the gardens. We're going in. Alright.
Down in long guns? What do you mean? Yes. Straight up. Any any munitions you have, CDU.
Speaker 0: At 2:28 PM, in an interesting exchange, a press photographer on scene at the east entrance of the capitol taps a demonstrator on his hip and shoulder to move him out of the way so he can presumably get a better shot of the action. Back out on the south side of the west plaza, a demonstrator is taken down by 6 police officers. He receives multiple punches while in a face down, prone position. At 2:30 PM, At 2:30 PM, a security camera at the crypt lobby shows demonstrators gaining access to the Capitol via overhead lift doors. At this same time, the house is called into final recess.
Speaker 9: Without objection, the house is gonna go back into recess.
Speaker 0: At 2:31 PM, Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser orders a curfew from 6 PM that evening to 6 AM the following morning. At 2:33 PM, a frustrated police officer can be heard venting about being, in his words, set up.
Speaker 1: They set up the up. That's what they did. They set up they set up 64. Oh, absolutely. K.
And then they asked y'all to come in 2 hours later. They set us up. I'm a be as real as I it can be. We are going to get overrun on the steps of the capital right now. We're getting hammered.
Okay? If you guys go down there, the appliances working very minimally. There's 10,000 to 1. You're gonna lose the steps, and we're getting people hurt like a mother
Speaker 0: Demonstrators are seen entering from the west side of the capitol while police officers watch them walk through the doors. Just feet away at 2:35 PM, minutes after losing the west plaza, officer Alioto throws a gas canister from the west terrace into the crowd that has a mast on the west plaza. This, along with other gas canisters sent into the crowds, gets thrown back at the officers. Most of these officers still do not have gas masks. At the same time on the west terrace, officers are repeating the same mistakes they made one level lower on the west plaza.
An errant CS gas round is again fired into their held position on the west terrace. The spreading gas will eventually effectuate a retreat back into the capital through a narrow tunnel. This mistake would prove to be incredibly significant for the events that are yet to come. The retreat into the capital through the west terrace tunnel would create the conditions for the next standoff between demonstrators and police that would take place over the following hours. Instead of showing force outside of the tunnel, the police make the questionable decision of barricading themselves behind locked double doors, giving up the tactical position, and retreating to a defensive posture.
While the police make their stand inside the West Terrace Tunnel, at 2:38 PM, Donald Trump sends out a tweet addressing the actions at the Capitol. It reads, please support our capitol police and law enforcement. They are truly on the side of our country. Stay peaceful. At 2:39 PM, Metropolitan Police Department reinforcements arrive at the capitol, entering through the east carriage door.
At the same time, police officers discussed being unprepared for what they encountered.
Speaker 1: I didn't know we are coming up for this. I wanna make sure we all had our mask. I realize how bad I they set us up to fail. Hey, Dave. There was no way we were winning that.
And you've now you got at least 4 platoons that are just gassed out. Yeah. Literally. Because us, 54 doesn't have masks. Yeah.
Oh, remember, we're supposed to be rapid response just to buy time for the hard place to use to come. They didn't come. They didn't ask for him. I'm supposed to Who cares about the street? Like, I want to rise.
Get yes. To secure the capital.
Speaker 0: At 2:42 PM, journalist Taylor Hanson is walking behind Ashley Babbitt, an air force veteran from California, as she turns a corner and approaches the speaker's lobby guarded by 3 police officers. MPD officer Luke Foskett approaches a window and looks out upon the crowd on the western side of the capitol building.
Speaker 1: You're alive, right? Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 0: Moments later, members of the house seek shelter in the gallery while officers barricade entry into the chamber. It is at this moment that the only firearm to be discharged inside the capitol that day can be loudly heard. The story of that gunshot is quite possibly the most tragic story of that day.
Speaker 1: Here's the gun. Here's the gun. Here's the gun. Here's the gun. Hey, he's got a gun.
Speaker 0: The shot heard was a single round fired by Lieutenant Michael Byrd. It strikes Ashley Babbitt in the neck, and she falls back into the upper landing of the stairwell.
Speaker 5: One shot in the Capitol. Report of a shooting in the Capitol. Trying to ascertain information now.
Speaker 0: At 2:46 PM, approximately the same time as Ashley Babbitt is shot by Capitol Police officer Bird, a series of smoke and signal flares are activated at various locations around the Capitol.
Speaker 1: Flare. There's some kind of a flare in the sky there.
Speaker 0: As the smoke clears, we again spot Ray Epps leaving the area and flanked by several individuals before leaving the capitol grounds for the day. Meanwhile, demonstrators continue to enter the capitol building. The first demonstrator enters the senate chamber.
Speaker 1: We're here. President 7, we got protesters that are outside of
Speaker 5: the, senate chamber. Over the course of the next
Speaker 0: 30 minutes, the senate chamber will become a significant location of the day along with the capitol rotunda, the capitol corridors Hold
Speaker 1: on. Hold on. Don't stop. Don't stop. Don't stop.
Don't stop.
Speaker 0: And the West Terrace Tunnel. Prior to this point in the day, many demonstrators were free to roam the hallways and chambers of the building, meeting little resistance from Capitol Police.
Speaker 1: The police here are willing to work with us and cooperate peacefully like our first amendment allows. Gather for Americans under the condition that they will come and gather peacefully to discuss what needs to be done to save our country.
Speaker 0: Capitol police officer Robichaux asks a small group of demonstrators to remain peaceful.
Speaker 1: Show us. No attacking, no assault, remain calm. We're not going to resolve, nothing are going to be heard. Everybody, this must be peaceful. This has to be peaceful.
We have the right to peacefully assemble.
Speaker 0: Robichaud then proceeds to escort at least one demonstrator, Jacob Chanceley, throughout various locations in the capital. At 2:46 PM, additional demonstrators continue to enter the senate chamber. Security footage shows no Capitol Police presence in the senate chamber at this time. At this point in the day, many of the demonstrators on the outside have no idea the Capitol has even been breached. Let's go back to the multi view to see what's going on around the Capitol grounds.
On the southeast side, a group of MPD officers arrived to assist capitol police with clearing out the inside of the capitol.
Speaker 5: 1.2 ground. We're sending MPD through the south door of the capitol. There's about 25 units in hard gear.
Speaker 0: Back on the west plaza, an enormous American flag has been draped over the scaffolding. On the east side of the capitol, demonstrators have overtaken the stairs and continue to gather on the lawn. Back in the rotunda at 2:48 PM, we see demonstrators peacefully roaming around and taking photographs. The only law enforcement officers visible are standing in the doorway. As demonstrators continue to roam the hallways, one officer has a concerning realization.
Speaker 1: They make it up here. They can go right to the center floor. They just don't realize it.
Speaker 0: Back at the West Terrace tunnel, a demonstrator activates a fire extinguisher into the tunnel
Speaker 1: We need redicious security steps. Wanna push forward? You wanna push forward? Yeah.
Speaker 2: Go. Right now. No.
Speaker 1: No. Wait. Because we gotta get numbers. Yep. I'm seeing stars right now.
Speaker 0: Inside the senate chamber, demonstrators are rummaging through desks looking for intel.
Speaker 1: Objection to the Arizona. Objection. Who's gonna sell us out all along? Really? Look.
Objection to counter the electoral votes of the state of Arizona. Wait. No. That's No. No.
That's Okay. Alright. Alright. We're driving. I'm just We're doing this.
We're doing this.
Speaker 0: The standoff back at the West Terrace Tunnel continues with
Speaker 1: Get it put it over there. We're gonna group it this way, then you lock your door and close this off. Get your arms through these shields. You know how to put your arms get because we have a high platoon guy here. You.
Show them how to lock the shields together and hold the shields.
Speaker 0: At 2:55 PM, law enforcement begins to move demonstrators out of the capitol from various locations.
Speaker 1: We are American. I pray for every one of you. For your service. Thanks. You
Speaker 2: need to give up communism is what you need to do, sir. You need to give up communism to protect these people. We're patriots.
Speaker 1: How much it cost for you to betray your duty and your people, sir?
Speaker 0: But they continue to struggle to control the rotunda and West Plaza tunnel.
Speaker 1: We're I I don't stray anymore. Let's go. Who's getting out for? We're in patients. We're in there.
Go in there. She's open.
Speaker 0: Richard Barnett, the demonstrator who posed for this photo speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, attempts to persuade an officer
Speaker 1: to let him back in to retrieve his flag.
Speaker 0: 4 18, Frank, sir, informational. I have
Speaker 1: a group of
Speaker 5: about 20 to 30 officers that are cordoned off on the south side of the front of the stairs. We're just gonna hold the line over here so we get some kind of control on this crowd. There's no enforcement we can take at this time.
Speaker 1: Hey. Good day, man. Glad to see you guys. You guys are fucking patriots. Look at this guy.
He's got me covered good. Thank you. Alright. Jacob Chansley takes a seat at the senate dais.
Speaker 0: He decides to leave a note for vice president Pence.
Speaker 1: And now now that you've done that, can I get you guys to walk out of this room, please? Yeah. There's
Speaker 2: 4,000,000 people coming
Speaker 1: in, so Thank you, heavenly father, for raising us with this opportunity. Thank God. Thanks, heavenly father. Amen. Sir, I
Speaker 5: have 75 people inside the senate chambers just for information. They are going through desks
Speaker 4: 105. I'm currently a domain George of the senate chambers.
Speaker 1: Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Thank you.
Thank you, officers. God bless you, pastor. Thank you for your patience. We really appreciate your support. That
Speaker 0: Freedom. Back at the scuffle at the West Terrace tunnel, the situation is rapidly deteriorating. Leading up the tunnel are a series of steps that demonstrators are having trouble navigating. It is a very tense and dangerous situation in this area. For over an hour, the police have been inside the building behind the inner doors while demonstrators have occupied the tunnel.
At 3:13 PM,
Speaker 1: president Trump sends out another tweet.
Speaker 0: He writes, I am asking for everyone at the US Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence. Remember, we are the party of law and order. Respect the law and our great men and women in blue. Thank you.
Speaker 1: 405 John is advising they need additional assets.
Speaker 0: At 3:19 PM, the police successfully expel the demonstrators from the tunnel. During the skirmish, a US Capitol police officer is dragged into the crowd of demonstrators. He is later returned to the police line and heads back to safety inside the tunnel. The demonstrators manage to hold their ground and begin to push the police back into the tunnel. This sets the stage for the final tragic conflict.
Demonstrators and police are engaged in physical altercations. Sprayed chemical agents are lingering in the narrow hallway.
Speaker 2: I know your pain. I know your hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us.
Speaker 0: At 4:17 PM, president Trump posts a 1 minute video to his Twitter account, urging demonstrators to stay peaceful and go home.
Speaker 2: We have to have peace. We have to have law and order
Speaker 0: Twitter quickly attached a warning label on the video which read, this claim of election fraud is disputed, and this tweet can't be replied to, retweeted, or liked due to a risk of violence. This limited the reach of the message. Minutes later, Twitter would remove the entire video message from its platform.
Speaker 2: I know how you feel, but go home and go home in peace.
Speaker 0: As the demonstrators are pushed back by police, they fall on top of each other. Some are pressed against the ground, unable to move. A woman named Roseanne Boyland, a Trump supporter from Georgia, finds herself pinned under the deluge of bodies. The situation is critical.
Speaker 1: Need a lock. No. What's that? Collapse inside that that corridor from an asphyxiation. She couldn't breathe.
Brought her out onto the main steps outside of that. Several people started doing CPR on her. I tried to get her carotid pulse for several minutes and even I cut part of her jeans away so that I could try to fill her femoral pulse, and I couldn't fill a femoral force at all. By the time that they decided to take the person up and give them to the police officer, she had blue lips and blood was coming out of her nose.
Speaker 4: Ma'am, where does DC fire need to go for that CPR that's gone off?
Speaker 1: Didn't seem hopeful at all. I don't I don't think that person will be revived.
Speaker 0: Officers transport Boylan inside the tunnel and begin CPR.
Speaker 8: Could you please send the ambulance that
Speaker 11: is coming for the code down at Lower West Terrace to the house door for entry?
Speaker 1: There's a couple. I don't know. We're guessing. Yeah. She got I think she got stuck under there.
She fell down and That's rambled? Yeah.
Speaker 0: Boylan is transported inside for one last revival attempt.
Speaker 1: Is that why Lawrence was having a protest? Is that why Lawrence was having a protest? Protest. CDU 70. They're destroying the media equipment over here to send an egg.
Ag. Got me. Protesters are destroying media equipment at the Senate Ag.
Speaker 0: At 5 PM, as the citywide 6 PM curfew looms, police are making progress securing the capitol and a steady stream of demonstrators leave the capitol grounds. At 5:10 PM, police use tear gas to drive the remaining demonstrators from the capitol's upper levels. Over the PA system, an announcement is made that all individuals are required to leave Capitol Hill or be subject to arrest. At 5:40 PM, national guard troops begin to arrive at the capitol to secure the premises. One minute after the curfew goes into effect, Donald Trump sends out a final message to his supporters that day.
At 8 PM, the capitol is declared secure.
Speaker 6: Today was a dark day in the history of the United States capital.
Speaker 0: Shortly after at 8:0:6 PM, the senate resumes debate over the certification of Arizona's vote in the senate chamber. The house would reconvene about an hour later. The election results will be certified. And 14 days later, Joe Biden will walk down the same tunnel and stairs where the police and demonstrators fought for hours and where Roseanne Boylan took her last breath to be inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. January 6, 2021, a day of hope and patriotism that turned into a day of chaos and tragedy.
For the past 3 years, the shadow of January 6th looms large in our politics, in our culture, and in our national conversation. Are we any closer to understanding the events of that day? Are we still in the timeline of January 6th?