Guns Were Present at Capitol Riot
The Claim
With the noted exception of the gun used to kill Ashli Babbitt, there were no firearms at the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
News posted on
Emerging story
This week, former President Donald Trump said at a rally that there were “no guns” at the Capitol riot, except the one used to shoot Ashli Babbitt. Trump supporters on social media shared the claim.
Some right-wing websites wrote articles restating Trump’s speech, further spreading the claim.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar's investigation found that Trump’s claim is incorrect. There is plenty of evidence that rioters brought firearms with them. A multitude of credible reports say that police stripped several rioters of their guns, both inside and outside the Capitol building. At least three people arrested for the riot are facing gun charges.
Other weapons besides guns were found, such as stun guns and bear mace. According to reports, many of them could produce fatal wounds. At least one rioter took a picture of himself spraying bear mace into a group of officers. Bear mace is named after its usage for deterring bears and is even more potent than regular mace.
