Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone described how he was outnumbered by rioters who told him they were going to shoot him with his own gun, in a Friday television interview with CNN.
Fanone was assaulted by the rioters, and as he lay on the ground, they ripped off his police radio and even his badge.
Even his 20-years on the force couldn’t prepare him for what he was about to experience. The rioters began shouting to each other “Kill him, kill him with his own gun.”As he had his weapon at the time, he had a choice to make: Use deadly force, which would likely result with the mob ending his life, or trying something else.
“I just remember yelling out that I have kids," he said, "and it seemed to work." Several people in the crowd created a circle around him which prevented others from harming him further. His partner was later able to extract him from that situation.
While the officer thanked the people who stepped forward to protect him, he added “f**k you for being there.”
The riots in Washington led to a mob of angry citizens taking over the US Capitol, airing previously unimagined scenes to the world. Images such as a Confederate flag being raised in the heart of American democracy and men with shirts claiming that “six million Jews aren’t enough.”Wow. This is powerful pic.twitter.com/5DGyeONU6P
— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) January 15, 2021
The mob was fueled by US President Donald Trump, who urged them to reclaim the country after he lost the last elections. Trump and his most fanatical supporters believe that the elections had been allegedly stolen by the Democrats, asserting unfounded allegations of election fraud to the public. A series of attempts by the Republican Party to challenge the result of the election were rejected in the courts as lacking a leg to stand on.
Five people died during the riots according to US media: Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, Ashli Babbitt, Kevin Greeson, Benjamin Philips and Rosanne Boyland.
One of the protesters, horns-wearing Jacob Anthony Chansley, is now facing trial for his actions. Calling himself 'QAnon Shaman,'he was given the right to be fed an organic diet while in custody by the judge, the Cut reported. Chansley claimed that other types of food make him sick.