Who is Justin Winchell? MAGA victim Rosanne Boyland was crushed to death as friend screamed for help: Video
Shocking bodycam footage has surfaced which shows frenzied rioters at the US Capitol building on January 6 trampling over a woman as her friend cries out in despair for help. The 34-year-old woman, identified as Rosanne Boyland from Kennesaw was killed in the stampede after several MAGA supporters violently charged towards the police while crushing her to death. Ironically, she was carrying an iconic Gadsden flag at the rally, with the words "Don’t Tread on Me" written on it.
Cleavon Gilman who goes by @Cleavon_MD on Twitter is an emergency physician and public health advocate in the United States. He shared, "ARRESTED: Edward Jacob Lang, 25, from Hudson Valley witnessed the death of Rosanne Boyland, a 34-year-old Trump supporter who was crushed to death as the MAGA mob surged against the police."
ARRESTED: Edward Jacob Lang, 25, from Hudson Valley witnessed the death of Rosanne Boyland, a 34-year-old Trump supporter who was crushed to death as a the MAGA mob surged against the police. pic.twitter.com/d03RsVotcb
— Cleavon MD (@Cleavon_MD) January 18, 2021
Evan Hill, an investigative journalist for the New York Times, also shared a video of the incident on Twitter, writing, "At 4:09 p.m., the mob makes another push into the doorway. The police push back, and the mob tumbles out. Boyland's friend Justin Winchell is visible in a blue hooded sweatshirt. He can be seen pulling people away, appearing to search for Boyland."
At 4:09 p.m., the mob makes another push into the doorway. The police push back, and the mob tumbles out. Boyland's friend Justin Winchell is visible in a blue hooded sweatshirt. He can be seen pulling people away, appearing to search for Boyland. pic.twitter.com/Esjw0ebqeN
— Evan Hill (@evanchill) January 16, 2021
Who is Justin Winchell?
Justin Winchell, the friend of the deceased woman and a fellow Donald Trump supporter, who had accompanied her that day to the ex-President’s ‘Save America Rally’, recounted the unnerving experience in an interview with CBS46.
What happened on January 6?
On the fateful day of January 6, Rosane Boyland and her friend Justin Winchell drove from Kennesaw to Washington D.C. to attend Trump’s rally. Towards the end, Trump urged his sea of supporters to demonstrate in front of the U.S. Capitol, where during that time, the Congressional validation of Joe Biden’s presidential win was going on. The two friends followed the other supporters and marched towards the Capitol building. However, it was after this that things took an unexpectedly violent turn. “People were in there to start stuff, but it wasn’t supposed to be a violent event,” Winchell told CBS46.
Confused at the mayhem around, Boyland and Winchell found themselves in the middle of a crowd who were storming the Capitol. Things went horribly wrong when people started pushing others, in a bid to reach faster.
As police arrived on the scene, they tried to thwart the charging crowd and pushed them back. This created a panic and with pushing from both sides, demonstrators starting toppling over each other and fell on the ground.
How did Boyland die?
Around 4:26 PM, Boyland was pushed down to the ground, but before she could be saved, a violent crowd trampled over her, while pinning her to the ground. Winchell’s repeated cries for help and desperate measures to save his friend were of no avail. He even said, “She’s gonna die! She’s dead,” to turn people’s attention as he screamed for help. But, the crowd around them was too busy, and on their way to attack police officials with hockey sticks and pepper sprays.
He put his arm underneath her and was pulling her out when another guy fell on top of her, and another guy walked over her. “There were people stacked 2-3 deep…people just crushed,” Winchell said. The video footage shows Winchell crying out Boyland’s name repeatedly.
Finally, a few rioters came to help Boyland and tried resuscitation to save her. After failed attempts, she was escorted inside the Capitol Rotunda for the paramedics to tend to her.
Later, paramedics arrived at the scene and tried to revive Boyland but she succumbed to death in front of Winchell. She was pronounced dead at around 6 PM at the hospital. “I lost a dear, dear friend, an amazing friend,” Winchell exclaimed emotionally.
Winchell blames Antifa for her death
The video footage was originally released by the US Attorney’s Office in D.C. on January 25 in search of Michael Joseph Foy, a rioter who allegedly beat up police officers with a hockey stick. The video is bodycam footage retrieved from one of the Metropolitan Police Officers who was dragged and beaten by the violent mob. Despite the tragic incident, Winchell, a staunch Trump supporter, refuses to place the blame on the former President. Rather, he accused Antifa and other ‘instigators’ for the violence that claimed his friend. “She was killed by an incited event and it was not incited by Trump supporters,” Winchell asserted.
However, Boyland’s family disagrees with Winchell’s view as they hold Trump responsible for her death. The day after her death, Boyland’s brother-in-law Justin Cave said that the ex-President’s speech incited the riot that killed four of his biggest supporters including Boyland.