The GOP-controlled House committee has released more than 20,000 hours of Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol security video to the public since November 2023, filling in details previously hidden by the Jan. 6 Select Committee. House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered the videos to be uploaded to publicly accessible servers, with plans to release a total of 40,000 hours. Chairman Barry Loudermilk stated that the goal is to provide the American people with the full, unaltered truth of the events surrounding Jan. 6, 2021. The release of footage is intended to offer transparency and a complete picture of the day’s events. The fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt, which received no attention from the Jan. 6 committee, was captured on security video, showing efforts by FBI medics, Capitol Police officers, and paramedics to save her life. The video footage also revealed the police response and presence at the Capitol after the shooting. One man at the top of the stairs surrendered with his hands up upon seeing the flashlight on a police rifle. Members of the House and staff, who had been hiding in the gallery seating, were escorted down the stairs by officers with guns drawn. This evacuation was recorded on Camera 360.
After the shooting of Ms. Babbitt, police began pushing protesters out of the Upper House Door. There were scuffles between witnesses of the shooting and police trying to clear the hallway, as seen in video from Camera 267. One protester was forcefully pushed along the floor and into a metal detector by police, leading to a brawl between them and the protesters present when Ms. Babbitt was shot.
Another video shows police forcibly removing protester Daniel Dean Egtvedt from the South Door, causing him to collapse. Mr. Egtvedt, who had been verbally abusing and scuffling with police, was eventually dragged out of the building. He was later found guilty and sentenced to prison for various offenses.
In another incident, police removed uncooperative protesters from the Senate Carriage Door, with one man being lifted and pushed out by an officer. A female protester was also dragged out of the building by officers. Security footage disproves claims that all protesters were peaceful during the Capitol breach.
Crowd-control measures caused issues inside the Capitol, with some rioters using their own chemicals against police. One officer struggled to breathe after exposure to the chemicals and required medical attention.
Several protesters were injured during the events at the Capitol, including Derrick Vargo, who was pushed off a ledge by a Capitol Police officer. Mr. Vargo sustained serious injuries and later filed a lawsuit against the officer. Security cameras captured his rescue after the fall.
