The family of Ashli Babbitt, the unarmed Air Force veteran fatally shot during the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot, is set to receive nearly $5 million in a legal settlement with the Trump administration.
The decision follows a lawsuit filed by Babbitt’s estate and Judicial Watch, alleging negligence by U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd, the officer who shot her.
The case, filed during the Biden administration, alleged that Byrd used excessive force when he shot the unarmed woman. Officials recently confirmed to a federal judge that an agreement had been reached in principle.
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Background: The Fatal Shooting of Ashli Babbitt
On January 6, 2021, during the violent breach of the Capitol, Ashli Babbitt, a staunch Trump supporter and U.S. Air Force veteran, was shot while attempting to climb through a barricaded window. Capitol Police had secured the Speaker’s Lobby to protect lawmakers evacuating the House chamber.
A statement from the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) later defended Byrd’s actions:
