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A U.S. Capitol police officer was captured on video leading a group of pro-Trump demonstrators away from the Senate chamber during the Capitol break-in last Wednesday, Jan. 7 (Singapore time).

Police officer faced angry crowd by himself

The officer, who was later identified as Eugene Goodman, was by himself and appeared to be armed with only a baton.

The African-American officer was seen in the video, taken by HuffPost reporter Igor Bobic, running up the stairs while the group chased after him.

Goodman first stood with his back to the corridor leading to the Senate floor.

This moment in ⁦@igorbobic⁩ stunning footage. In front of the officer, coming up the stairs, is a mass of rioters. The USCP officer glances to his left. Between those two chairs is the entrance to the senate floor. He lured them to his right, away from their targets. pic.twitter.com/knjQQ4GZ0d

— Kristin Wilson (@kristin__wilson) January 10, 2021

He then slid to his right, and shoved the Trump supporter wearing a black QAnon shirt, who was at the front of the crowd.

This caused the demonstrator to follow Goodman, instead of heading to the corridor on his right where the main entrance into the chamber was located.

The rest of the crowd followed in the first demonstrator's footsteps, advancing on Goodman.

Here’s the scary moment when protesters initially got into the building from the first floor and made their way outside Senate chamber. pic.twitter.com/CfVIBsgywK

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 6, 2021

Had the crowd entered the chamber, they would have been met by half a dozen armed officers, each armed with a semiautomatic weapon and scanning the entrances for intruders, according to The Washington Post.

The result then might have been much more deadly.

Instead, Goodman led the crowd in the other direction, and was later joined by other police officers in a back corridor.

According to Bobic, it was 2:14pm (local time) when Goodman directed the protesters away from the chamber.

Separately, a Washington Post reporter noted that the chamber was sealed at 2:15pm.

Just now realizing how much of a close call it was in the Senate. Literally seconds. https://t.co/8JwiZvSngy pic.twitter.com/8P6aPo5aVh

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 10, 2021

The difference of mere seconds made the situation "a close call", Bobic said, as Goodman apparently bought the rest of the security team just enough time to safeguard the lawmakers.

Goodman was hailed as a hero for diverting the crowd away from the chamber.

This guy is an absolute hero. https://t.co/7hvP08Yk1T

— Ryan Clinton (@ryanclinton) January 10, 2021

Officer Eugene Goodman stopped a mob of white rioters from entering the chambers of the United States Senate.

At this perilous moment in our nation’s history, he was the one person standing between democracy and the rule of tyrants.

(Photo Credit: New York Times) pic.twitter.com/vTjvVp9SLe

— Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) January 10, 2021

I did not fully grasp what was happening in this footage when I first saw it. Now it seems clear that this officer tricked the mob away from the unguarded door to the Senate, using himself—a Black man—as the bait. He is a national hero. And lucky to be alive. https://t.co/l8RAyXrlk7

— Pamela Colloff (@pamelacolloff) January 10, 2021

13 people have been charged so far in federal court, while about 40 have been charged in Superior Court for crimes committed at the Capitol, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, which referred to the violence as a "riot".

Here are some notable arrests that have been made:

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Top image adapted via Igor Bobic/Twitter