Full coverage of the settlement can be found here:
Officer Cleared, Controversy Remains
Lt. Byrd was cleared of any wrongdoing following both internal and federal investigations. Authorities said the officer had reason to believe he was defending himself and others from a credible threat.
Federal prosecutors concluded there was “insufficient evidence” to prove a civil rights violation and cited the need to protect members of Congress and staff.
“The tragic loss of life” was acknowledged, and condolences were extended to the Babbitt family when the investigation closed in 2021.
Political Fallout and Trump’s Response
Babbitt’s death quickly became a lightning rod for political debate. Former President Donald Trump has frequently cited Babbitt as a martyr and criticized the circumstances of her death.
“I’m a big fan of Ashli Babbitt, OK, 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 told Newsmax in March.
