Thread by @NBCNews

Congressional reporter @haleytalbotnbc writes about her day inside the House chamber as the US Capitol was overrun by an angry mob.

"I kept thinking that ... we weren’t under any real threat. And then the glass shattered."

nbcnews.com/politics/congr… (1/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "When I walked into the chamber a few minutes before 2:00 p.m., I felt so prepared. Our team had all been reading in and studying the dynamics of the unique event for weeks, ever since we realized what a saga the largely procedural process was going to be." (2/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "I think we were all getting texts and tweet notifications about what was transpiring on the steps just outside the building.
And yet, I felt so safe. I kept thinking I was in the safest place possible." (3/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "An announcement was made that there was tear gas in the rotunda. 'Grab the gas masks under your seats and be ready to put them on.'

I kept thinking that even though we were all sheltering under our chairs, we weren’t under any real threat.

And then the glass shattered." (4/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "I caught glimpses of the standoff below as officers barricaded the door and drew their guns to defend the dozens of people inside.

I started to hear the quiet whispering of prayer." nbcnews.com/politics/congr… (5/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "Members and reporters still had gas masks on and kept them on throughout the evacuation. Members were calling their husbands, wives, sons, daughters, chiefs of staff and parents. 'I’m ok. don’t worry' and 'mommy is safe turn off the news' filled the echoey stairwell." (6/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "We didn’t know if we would encounter more rioters along the way. We were vigilant and stayed together. I kept scanning our group making sure all the members I was huddled with behind the chairs earlier were still with us. No one could be left behind." (7/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "When we finally made it to our secure location, members started filing through the large wooden doors of the largest hearing room I know of. When I tried to walk in I was told “members only” by an officer guarding the entrance.

I was stunned." nbcnews.com/politics/congr… (8/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "The 5 other reporters with me couldn’t believe it either. 'Where are we supposed to go?!' we begged.

Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger fought for us. When those doors were slammed in our faces she told the guards we needed refuge, we needed somewhere to hide." (9/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "It meant so much to me that she fought for us. As the confrontation with the guard ensued, Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego offered to take us down the hall to his office.

I felt better once we were inside the congressman’s office." (10/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "When I finally returned to the chamber just before 9:00 p.m. to cover what was supposed to be the story — the certification of the electoral college — I found my laptop where I’d left it in the chaos." (11/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "Of course there is a lot I didn’t see happening outside the Capitol on Wednesday. It was once I watched the remarkable coverage on NBC's "TODAY" show the next morning that I understood the full picture. That was the first time I cried." (12/13)

@haleytalbotnbc "The Capitol is our home. This happened in the People’s House. This was an attack that not only harmed the members, staffers and reporters, but every custodial and food service worker in that building Wednesday afternoon. People died, including a Capitol Police officer." (13/13)