Explosive Device Found and Destroyed at RNC Headquarters in D.C. amid Chaos at Capitol: Report
An explosive device was reportedly found at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
The New York Times reported that a pipe bomb was found at the RNC headquarters and has been destroyed by a bomb squad. A suspicious package was reportedly found at the nearby Democratic National Committee headquarters, which was evacuated, according to the Times.
The RNC and DNC did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
There was reportedly at least one improvised explosive device found on Capitol grounds, NBC News reported.
Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed to CNN that the authorities responded to credible reports of two incendiary devices that had been found, but would not go into further detail.
Both headquarters are located just blocks from the Capitol building, which was stormed on Wednesday as lawmakers began the process of certifying President-elect Joe Biden's win.
Thousands of Trump supporters gathered outside in D.C. on Wednesday, and moved from the Mall to the Capitol, forcing their way into the building. The rioters roamed through the building, breaking windows, carrying Trump and confederate flags, and rifling through lawmakers' desks and offices.
Washington D.C.'s and Virginia's National Guards were activated to respond to the chaos, and D.C. Mayor Bowser issued a curfew beginning at 6 p.m.
Biden called for an end to the violence amid the chaos on Wednesday, also calling for Trump to call his supporters off.
"Let me be very clear, the scenes at the Capitol do not reflect the true America," the president-elect said. "What we’re seeing is a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent, it’s chaos.”
Shortly after Biden's speech, Trump tweeted a video to the rioters, saying "we love you, you're very special," and doubling down down on the baseless claims that the election was "stolen from us" in the clip before adding "we have to have peace, so go home." (The video has been removed or restricted from social channels including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, due to "risk of violence.")
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have condemned the rioters' actions.
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