Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she had a 'close encounter' during the Capitol riot and 'thought I was going to die'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is speaking out about her "traumatizing" experience at the Capitol building during last week's deadly pro-Trump riot, revealing a "very close encounter" made her fear for her life.

The New York lawmaker spoke on Instagram about what she described as a "traumatizing week for so many people" after a mob of President Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol building in a riot that left five people dead. She referenced a "close encounter" she had during the riot, one she said she couldn't provide further details on for security reasons.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.