Storm at the Capitol: Eyewitness Accounts from January 6th Violence

Tue Dec 23 2025 18:38:59 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In 'Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th', journalist Mary Clare Jalonick offers a gripping account through firsthand testimonies of those who experienced the violent riots at the U.S. Capitol. The book reveals the harrowing moments faced by law enforcement, lawmakers, and rioters during this unprecedented event.

Mary Clare Jalonick's book, 'Storm at the Capitol', compiles firsthand accounts of the January 6th riots at the U.S. Capitol. Through interviews and testimonies from rioters, police officers, and lawmakers, she chronicles the brutal clashes that sought to overturn the certified election results. The narrative delves into the experiences of Capitol Police and officers on the front lines, highlighting the chaos, violence, and desperate acts during the siege.

WASHINGTON (AP) — This exclusive excerpt from 'Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th' by Mary Clare Jalonick offers a comprehensive look into the events surrounding the violent riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Jalonick provides an intricate account based on personal interviews, court documents, and testimonies from various individuals directly impacted by the chaos.

The book details how rioters, fueled by false claims of election fraud from then-President Donald Trump, stormed the Capitol as lawmakers attempted to certify Joe Biden's victory. As rioters breached multiple entrances, police struggled to maintain control, a battle intensifying at 4 p.m. when hundreds descended upon the central doors of the Capitol.

Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, foreseeing the day’s violence, had warned his brother via text, but events accelerated beyond expectations as clashes erupted, leading to desperate moments for law enforcement officers on the ground.

As law enforcement struggled to protect the center of democracy, officers described the violence they faced. U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell recalled, The rioters were vicious and relentless... a battle akin to that of a medieval battlefield. In horrifying detail, officers detailed their experiences of hand-to-hand combat, brutality, injuries, and frantic cries for survival. Officer Michael Fanone's harrowing narrative includes a moment where he feared for his life amidst the mass of rioters violently attempting to disarm him.

The chaos left lasting scars not only on the Capitol but on the lives of those who served that day. Officer Sicknick's tragic fate after his shift highlights the catastrophic toll of the event, culminating in his death later that evening from injuries sustained during the riots, prompting a national conversation about the dangers faced by law enforcement.

This excerpt emphasizes the dire consequences of that day, urging readers to remember the sacrifices made by those tasked with protecting the Capitol and to reflect on the state of democracy.

Excerpted from STORM AT THE CAPITOL: An Oral History of January 6th by Mary Clare Jalonick, copyright ©2026 by Mary Clare Jalonick. Used with permission of PublicAffairs, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.