‘No One Flinched’: Four Texas Congressmen Stayed With The Police To Defend The Chamber, Congressman Says

• Republican Texas Rep. Pat Fallon said Wednesday that several Texas freshmen congressmen stayed behind to defend the House chamber as rioters stormed the United States Capitol.
• Fallon described witnessing “courage personified” when D.C. police entered the House chamber Wednesday and alerted lawmakers that the U.S. Capitol building had been breached.
• “No one flinched,” he said. “No one!!!”

Republican Texas Rep. Pat Fallon said Wednesday that several Texas freshmen congressmen stayed behind to defend the House chamber as rioters stormed the United States Capitol.

Fallon described watching “courage personified” when D.C. police entered the House chamber Wednesday and alerted lawmakers that the U.S. Capitol building had been breached. The congressman, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation, said that Republican Texas congressmen Tony Gonzales, Ronny Jackson, and Troy Nehls were present.

“At first they wanted us to remain in our seats in the House Chamber,” Fallon wrote in a Facebook post. “The breach must have gotten worse because they started to evacuate. Then the mob literally reached the doors of the House Chamber and the Police were short handed and I AM SO PROUD that Rep Tony Gonzalez, Rep Ronny Jackson, Rep Troy Nehls didn’t hesitate!!!”

“We augmented the Police and stood our ground,” he continued. “We will never be intimated by any mob, regardless of their motivations.”

Fallon said that when the mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters reached the doors of the House chamber, “there was visible concern on everyones faces,” but the lawmakers “stood our ground.”

“Tony Gonzalez and Troy Nehls were literally on the front lines with myself and Admiral Jackson directly behind them and beside Rep Mark Wayne Mullin (who promised he’d be the last person to leave-standing guard while other members, both Democrats & Republicans were being evacuated to safety) and Ken Buck from CO was there as well,” he wrote.

The Texas congressman described breaking off furniture to make clubs to “defend the U.S. House of Representatives.”

Jackson reportedly looked at Fallon and said, “I’m not going anywhere,” Fallon said.

“Tony and Troy looked back and nodded reassuringly,” he continued. “I remembered what Tim Grunhard (a center at Notre Dame) would say before a big game at home in South Bend. So I repeated it, ‘This IS OUR House! And we’re gonna protect it!!!’”

“No one flinched,” the congressman added. “No one!!!”

“I serve with heroes,” he said. “My Texas GOP colleagues have been my friends and now they are my heroes!!!”

Fallon said that the lawmakers helped the police barricade the doors with furniture.

“We had stepped to the side to place it there and that’s when the small pieces of glass went flying,” he said, adding that someone screamed, “SHOTS FIRED” and “rounds fired, rounds fired!!”

“Those rounds, if that’s what caused that broken glass would have struck us just seconds before,” he wrote. “Please pray for a peaceful resolution. We must condemn any and all violence. We don’t yet know the facts yet. Who was responsible, the why etc…Right now I can report only that we are safe and that we’re at an undisclosed location…and so serve with heroes!!!!”

Metropolitan Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said during a press conference that as of Wednesday evening, police have made at least 52 arrests, 47 of which are a result of curfew violations and unlawful entry. Twenty-six of the arrests were made on capitol grounds, according to Contee.

A woman who was shot by a police officer has been identified as San Diego resident Ashli Babbit, who was a 14-year veteran and served four tours with the U.S. Air Force. She died later during the day on Wednesday, police said. Footage captured later in the day reportedly shows her being wheeled out of the capitol surrounded by officers as paramedics are seen applying pressure on her neck.