Police officer who shot female protester at the US Congress - suspended

US Capitol

WASHINGTON DC, January 7. / TASS /: A US police officer who shot one of the protestors at the US Congress is suspended from work pending an investigation, according to the Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund's statement on Thursday.

On January 6, supporters of the current US President Donald Trump tried to storm the building of Congress, they eventually managed to get inside. At the same time, the police guarding the building used firearms, wounding a woman. She later died at the hospital.

The police officer was put on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, Sund said. He confirmed that the name of the victim is Ashli Babbitt. Fox News reported on January 6 that Babbitt had previously served in the US Air Force. Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee confirmed the deaths of a total of four people during the protestors.

More than 50 US law enforcement officers were injured on January 6 during the riots on Capitol Hill, several of them were hospitalized with serious injuries.

"More than 50 Capitol and Metropolitan Police officers were injured. Several Capitol police officers were hospitalized with serious injuries," the statement said. In the wake of the protests, Capitol police detainedover 70 people, and are continuing to examine CCTV footage and other sources to "identify others who may" be prosecuted.

On January 6, Trump supporters stormed into the US Congress building to prevent the approval of the results of the last November 3 presidential elections in the country, which was won by the Democratic candidate Biden. Police and special forces soon freed the Capitol building from pro-Trump protesters who broke into it, and lawmakers were able to continue and successfully complete the process of confirming Biden as the elected Head of State. According to the latest figures, four people were killed in the protests.