Chaos, pandemonium, bedlam, turmoil, desperation, angst and fear prevailed on Thursday upon members of one of the most powerful seats of governance located in one of the most secured places in the world - the Capitol building that houses the US Congress in Washington, DC.
The turmoil was not because of an external element, but was rather engineered by supporters of the US President himself.
As hundreds of unruly Trump supporters barged into the Capitol building in a bid to stop the Congress from formally certifying Joe Biden's victory, US lawmakers scrambled in fear for their safety.
While the Congress members were in the house, an announcement came that some sort of gas had been released into the Capitol rotunda, Bloomberg reported.
It added that the House members were then told to grab gas masks stored underneath their seats to protect themselves.
"Call your friend! Call Trump," Representative Steve Cohen, a Tennessee Democrat, reportedly shouted to the Republicans as the mayhem prevailed.
Soon, there were several sharp bangs as protesters tried to get into the chamber. "Police blocked the main door -- through which the President usually enters on his way to delivering State of the Union and other speeches -- with a piece of furniture," Bloomberg reported.
According to the report, moments earlier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's floor director, Keith Stern had asked everyone to sit down and "stay calm".
"House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern told colleagues to stay put for more instructions. A deputy sergeant at arms said everyone needed to sit tight," the report said, adding that another official announced that Trump supporters have reached the Capitol rotunda area.
The situation at the Capitol had turned grave in a short notice. What appeared to have started as a routine gathering of Trump supporters escalated in riots and violence that has so far claimed four lives, including one due to bullet injury.
As tensions rose outside the Capital building, security officials warned lawmakers that "lots of people" have broken past a security perimeter that was set up to stop them.
Soon, Trump supporters could be seen climbing stairs of the Capitol Rotunda, a central domed structure that connects the House and Senate.
The security officials deployed were grossly outnumbered by the mob that started shattering glass panes and attacking the building.
"Lawmakers ran upstairs and began ushering the members out a side door, and down a staircase to an underground tunnel, on the way to a secure office building," Bloomberg said in its report.
Meanwhile, all mayhem was also broadcast live on television news channels with stunning visuals of the chaos.
The scenes of bedlam and fear at the centre of the US government erupted quickly.
"It's hard to believe that this is going on," said CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "This is unprecedented, it is dangerous and this is so, so embarrassing for the United States of America."
"The mob has overtaken the process of trying to certify the Electoral College," said Fox News Channel reporter Chad Pergram. "Security here at the US Capitol has failed."
Later, social media giants Twitter and Facebook took the unprecedented step of suspending Donald Trump's privileges to post messages on their platforms, at least temporarily. Both companies said Trump had violated their policies.
(With inputs from agencies)