Washington (CNN)Federal authorities are piecing together a chilling picture of the January 6 insurrection that reveals major security and intelligence failures, underscores profound fissures in American society and hints at the political challenges ahead for President-elect Joe Biden, even as they race to ensure the safety of US leaders and next week's inauguration.
Emerging details paint an even grimmer picture than the shocking images of violence broadcast live around the world last week. Evidence suggests planning by the insurrectionists, and there are concerns that they may have received support from some Capitol Police, current and former members of the military, and even some members of Congress.
As rioters broke into the Capitol building and some chanted "hang Mike Pence," the seditious mob ripped through the "thin blue line" many claim to revere, kicking and beating police with their own batons, spraying them with chemical irritants, threatening to kill them. One policeman and four others died that day.
Once inside the building, The Washington Post reports the insurrectionists came within minutes of reaching the vice president, who was whisked to safety with his wife and daughter. Some had driven to the Capitol days earlier, others had filled their vehicles with guns, ammunition, crossbows, machetes and, in one case, a note listing a congressman by name.
