The victim has been identified as Ashli Babbit. Photo / Twitter
WARNING: CONFRONTING
A woman who was shot during the Washington riots has died from her injuries.
The grim news of the woman's death was confirmed by US media and Washington DC police this morning, although it has not yet been confirmed who fired the fatal shot.
However, an eyewitness interviewed by CNN claimed the woman may have been hit by an individual guarding the inside of the House Chamber.
NEW: Woman shot earlier in the chest at The Capitol has now died.
It included, "Mike Pence must resign & thereafter be charged with TREASON" and "Chief Justice John Roberts must RESIGN".
BREAKING: Family confirms woman shot & killed at Capitol is Ashli Babbit. She owned a business in San Diego w/ her huband who did not come to DC. “I really dont know why she decided to do this,” her mother-in-law tells me. Police have not confirmed circumstances of shooting pic.twitter.com/OOYpNWpMLg
A confronting video of the moment Babbitt was shot began circulating online soon after the incident, which captured the sound of a gunshot before revealing the woman lying on the floor as blood poured from her mouth.
Onlookers were heard screaming "Where's she hit?" as they rushed to assist her, and she was later taken from the building in a stretcher.
Babbitt was pictured on camera draped in a red, white and blue flag.
The chaos arose after MAGA protesters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overthrow democracy in the dying days of Donald Trump's presidency this morning.
The outgoing President's supporters have not only taken to the streets, but have also breached the US Capitol building after breaking through barriers, withstanding tear gas and engaging in an armed standoff with police in a stunning refusal to accept Trump's election loss.
A number of police officers have also reportedly been injured during clashes with demonstrators.
The emergency kicked off while congress was in session to count and certify the Electoral College votes following the November 3 election, with MAGA supporters attempting to disrupt the proceedings and overturn Democrat Joe Biden's victory by storming the House Floor.
The joint session has since been halted, with a protester breaching the Senate floor and taking the Speaker's chair.
Audibly shaken media commentators have likened the situation to that of a "third world country"or "civil war", with CNN anchors this morning describing the chaos as a full-blown "rebellion" and "insurrection" in Washington DC and claiming Americans were "witnessing an attempt at sedition" on their television screens.
"This is just Bedlam … this is Trump's rebellion," one said, adding the situation was "very, very tense" and "out of control".
Reporters said they had not seen anything like the unfolding crisis since the Vietnam War, labelling the situation "unprecedented" and claiming it was "not a peaceful protest".