Congresswoman photographed lying on House gallery floor speaks out

PHILADELPHIA - As violence ensued outside the U.S. Capitol Building on Wednesday, members of Congress were put on lockdown.

Rep. Susan Wild, of Pennsylvania, was among those who were inside the House chamber when the rioters tried to get in.

A photo shows Wild lying on the floor of the chamber's gallery, being comforted by a fellow congressman as gunshots went off outside.

Wild's daughter, Adrienne, tweeted this: "My mom in red, crouching down in defense, & in the same position calling us to tell us she loves us. I took a screenshot because I thought it could be the last time I’d see her face. She lost a shoe today - not her life. Thinking of those standing up for BLM who are not as lucky."

Thankfully, Wild and her fellow legislators were not injured.

Hours later, the congresswoman was back on the House floor to help certify the election results.

On Friday morning, she and her daughter joined "Good Day Philadelphia" to share more on what happened, and where we go from here.

CONTINUING COVERAGE: Capitol Riot

It's another glimpse into a dark day in U.S. history that left five people dead.

Wild – who represents the commonwealth's 7th District, including Lehigh County, Northampton County parts of Monroe County – said she was among about a dozen members who were still in the chamber when the evacuation door was once again barred due to a new disturbance.

"We were there when all hell broke loose on the House floor, when we started to hear gunshots and breaking glass very, very close to us. And they were shouting at us to get down," she said.

She doesn't remember lying on the floor and was mostly in a crouching position while they were waiting to be evacuated.

"I do remember very specifically feeling as though I was in tremendous danger, as well as everybody around me," she said. "… When we found out we weren't going to be able to go through the evacuation door, people started calling their loved ones."

After a moment of indecision, because she didn't want to cause her children unnecessary worry, she decided to call them, fearing she might not be able to speak with them again.

The photograph of her on the floor, she believes, was taken after that conversation, when she says, "Something about that phone call with my children prompted just intense panic for me."

Adrienne Wild said she didn't know how bad the situation was when her mother Facetimed.

"It was when she called that I heard all the commotion in the background, and I saw the scared look in her eyes, and I heard it in her voice," she said. "And that's when I knew that we could be in trouble."

The congresswoman said it was almost a little bit therapeutic to go back on the House floor Wednesday night to do what they were supposed to do, certify the results of the 2020 election.

Emotionally she said she's doing pretty well, but she feels not particularly well physically. Sleep is still a problem, and she expects it will be for a while.

"As far as the people across the country, I think people are responding, you know, to the fact that they never dreamed they would see this in the United States on their television screens," she said.

You can hear more of their conversation with FOX 29's Alex Holley in the videoplayer above.

On Friday afternoon, Wild released a written statement, calling on cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump. She also called the rioters "traitors."

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