1 Capitol Police officer in critical condition, up to 60 injured after riots

One Capitol Police officer is in critical condition and 15 were hospitalized after up to 60 officers were injured after a violent pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. 

“I’m livid about the whole thing,” said Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who added that several police were hit in the lead with lead pipes.

Ryan chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the more than 2,000-member police force. The panel has opened investigations into the security failure that led to protesters supporting President Trump breaching the Capitol. That included entering the Senate chamber.

The Ohio Democrat said police were able to hold off the violent mob for an hour and fifteen minutes, but backup such as the National Guard did not arrive in time to prevent the crowds from overtaking law enforcement.

Ryan said that the up to 1,500 Capitol Police present plus another 1,000 D.C. Metropolitan Police were overwhelmed by an estimated crowd of over 10,000 people.

“These were violent people who were swinging lead pipes at cops,” Ryan said. “They were hell-bent at bum-rushing the cops.”

Police said four people at the Capitol died, including a 12-year Air Force veteran who was shot after she tried to climb through glass broken by protesters near the House chamber.

Top security officials have been under pressure by the security failure after Democratic and Republican lawmakers were left shell-shocked by the threat to their safety in a building considered to be impenetrable. 

Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund defended the Capitol Police’s response to Wednesday’s riots, saying the department had a “robust plan” in place ahead of the demonstrations.

Democratic leaders have called for the resignation of top members of the Capitol’s security team following the breach.

–Updated at 2:45 p.m.