Yuma locals and visitors reflect on January 6th riots on first anniversary

Those we spoke to expressed their frustrations with how the insurrection was handled, but also expressed hope for future unity - 13 On Your Side's Luis Lopez reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - One year ago, the U.S. Capitol was invaded by many supporters of then-President Donald Trump in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Yuma locals, like Walter Ashenfelter, look back at the events, still frustrated with what happened.

“I thought it was just a terrible, terrible day for the United States of America,” Ashenfelter said.

Ashenfelter still looks back on the riots in horror.He says as he watched everything unfold, he got more and more upset with how the situation was handled by Trump.

“I think he had a chance to do something, he was watching it unfold on TV and I think he was just taking great pleasure in seeing what was happening,” Ashenfelter said.

Yuma visitor Gloria Dagnino says she spent the entire day glued the events on her TV. A year later, she feels just as disappointed as when she first saw the events.

“I look back on that day horrified the same as when it happened, it’s so unbelievable that in this beautiful, wonderful country, something so ugly could happen,” Dagnino said.

Plenty of locals also talked to us off-camera, saying they felt just as frustrated. Including supporters of trump, who still say they support him but feel he could have handled the situation much better.