The US government on Monday agreed to pay nearly $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, the woman who was fatally shot by police during the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, reports the Washington Post. Babbitt was a vocal Trump supporter and Air Force veteran, and was shot while trying to climb through a shattered window near the House Speaker’s Lobby during the violent breach of the Capitol. The justice department will now settle a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by her family with the help of conservative group Judicial Watch. The lawsuit claimed that Officer Michael Byrd, who shot Babbutt, acted negligently and failed to de-escalate the situation.In 2021, the DOJ ruled no wrongdoing by policeOutgoing US Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger told CBS News that he had been informed of the decision “a few weeks ago” and expressed disappointment in a message to the entire force. “I told them I was extremely disappointed, and I disagreed with the Department of Justice’s decision to settle this lawsuit,” he said.Manger reiterated his disapproval in a statement to ABC News, saying, “This settlement sends a chilling message to law enforcement nationwide, especially to those with a protective mission like ours.” He added, “In 2021, the DOJ investigation determined no wrongdoing by police.”‘Ashli was unarmed, her hands were up in the air’The initial civil lawsuit alleged that Byrd was not identifiable as law enforcement when he fired the fatal shot, as he was wearing a Covid mask and not in uniform at the time. ‘Ashli was unarmed,’ the suit claimed. ‘Her hands were up in the air, empty, and in plain view of Byrd and other officers in the lobby. Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone‘I’m a big fan of Ashli Babbitt’: Donald TrumpBabbitt’s death became a rallying cry for Trump loyalists, with many arguing she was killed unjustly. US President Trump himself has referenced her multiple times, and in a March interview with Newsmax, he said, “I’m a big fan of Ashli Babbitt, okay, and Ashli Babbitt was a really good person who was a big MAGA fan, Trump fan, and she was innocently standing there — they even say, trying to sort of hold back the crowd.”Trump added, “And a man did something unthinkable to her when he shot her, and I think it’s a disgrace. I’m going to look into that; I did not know that.”Byrd’s action were ‘lawful and within Department policy’: US Capitol PoliceAn internal review by the US Capitol Police concluded Byrd’s actions were “lawful and within Department policy.” In its August 2021 report, the agency said, “The officer’s actions were consistent with the officer’s training and USCP policies and procedures.”The case was filed while Biden was president, but Trump still supports the Capitol rioters. One of his first actions after coming back to office was to pardon more than 1,500 people charged in the attack.Babbitt’s mother, Micki Witthoeft, has remained vocal about her daughter’s death. She has led nightly protests outside the DC jail for over two years and met with Republican leaders, including former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
