U.S. Capitol Police Defend Their Response

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund is defending his department’s response to the storming of the Capitol. In his first public comment on the mayhem from Wednesday, Sund says officers “acted valiantly when faced with thousands of individuals involved in violent riotous actions.” He says rioters “actively attacked” Capitol police and other law enforcement officers with metal pipes, discharged chemical irritants, and took up other weapons. Lawmakers from both parties have pledged to investigate law enforcement’s actions and questioned whether a lack of preparedness allowed a mob to occupy and vandalize the building. The city’s mayor calls the police response “a failure.”