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'I Just Started to Pray': A Firsthand View of the Capitol Hill Riots

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In the wake of what happened in Washington, DC last Wednesday, stories continue to emerge about the chaos that unfolded at the Capitol.

CBN News video journalist Mario Gonzalez was there and says it was his war-zone training that prepared him for the experience. 

Gonzalez said his team knew that it was going to be a busy day so they got there early in the morning.

"I got there at about 4:45 a.m. - just hoping and praying that there was a spot available," he explained. He eventually made his way to the Capitol Building.

"You could easily start to feel the atmosphere kind of change, that this could potentially become a major news story," Gonzalez explained. "I get up the escalators and my first view is the Capitol police officers sitting down on a chair and medical staff attending to him. I immediately changed. I went from photojournalist to prayer warrior."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Gonzalez witnessed more Capitol police officers receiving medical attention. 

"My heart just sunk. I was looking at these police officers and I just started to pray," he explained.

Another police officer approached Gonzalez, insisting that he did not film or take any pictures of the scene. Gonzalez stated that he was there to pray.

The police officer thought for a moment, then thanked Gonzalez for his kind gesture. The photojournalist explained that he use to live in Israel, which he believes helped prepare him for times like this.  

"My time living in Israel I think prepared me for moments like this where you learn to keep your head on a swivel and you learn to be prayed up," he noted. "I think God's given me the grace to walk this out - to be in a place like this during a time like this, to be able to handle myself professionally and that's the way I should."

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