Tom Dreisbach and Meg Anderson reporting for NPR:

As a violent mob descended on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, lawmakers and aides hid wherever they could, waiting for the military and police to arrive. But many of those who stormed the Capitol were military veterans themselves, who had once sworn to protect the Constitution. In fact, an NPR analysis has found that nearly 1 in 5 people charged over their alleged involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol appear to have a military history.

Some of those arrested are still active duty, in the reserves, and police officers. Still others are elected officials, all of them Republicans.

The level of planning and coordination among some of the insurrectionists shows a degree of training and willingness to kidnap and apparently murder elected officials. Spencer S. Hsu, Tom Jackman, and Devlin Barrett for The Washington Post:

In charging papers, the FBI said that during the Capitol riot, Caldwell received Facebook messages from unspecified senders updating him of the location of lawmakers. When he posted a one-word message, “Inside,” he received exhortations and directions describing tunnels, doors and hallways, the FBI said.

Some messages, according to the FBI, included, “Tom all legislators are down in the Tunnels 3floors down,” and “Go through back house chamber doors facing N left down hallway down steps.” Another message read: “All members are in the tunnels under capital seal them in. Turn on gas,” the FBI added.

This is a rot a the core of institutions meant to protect us and perpetuated by one of our political parties. It’s decades in the making and won’t be fixed quickly or easily. Seeing January 6 for what it is will be vital.