DOJ Reaches Agreement to Settle Lawsuit by Family of Ashli Babbitt

It's been a long time, but Ashli Babbitt's family may finally get some justice.

The Trump administration has now reportedly reached a preliminary agreement to settle the wrongful death case that had been filed by Babbitt's family over her shooting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021:

Lawyers for Babbitt’s estate and the Justice Department told a judge in Washington’s federal court that they have reached a settlement in principle, but the details are still being worked out and the final agreement has not yet been signed. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.

Babbitt's estate filed a lawsuit for $30 million in January of 2024 over the shooting death of the U.S. Air Force veteran.

Officer Who Shot Ashli Babbitt Comes Forward, Claims He 'Saved Lives'

Many questions were raised about Babbitt's shooting. Indeed, before she was at the window of the Speaker's Lobby where Capitol police officer, Lt. Michael Byrd shot her, she had been standing with three officers and did not threaten them or harm them in any way. Other people smashed the glass in the windows of the doors to the Speaker's Lobby.

The shooting was also completely unnecessary. As soon as she was shot, a team of armed officers arrived on the scene, replacing the three officers who had just left. So the situation would have been secured; there was no need to shoot her. Those officers then secured the scene.

Warning for graphic language and actions:

The Trump administration reaches a settlement with the family of Ashli Babbittpic.twitter.com/18DHPDIvGn
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) May 2, 2025

Jonathan Turley Calls out Concerning Comments by Ashli Babbitt's Shooter

The Capitol Police officer said in a televised interview that he fired as a “last resort.” When he pulled the trigger, he said, he had no idea whether the person jumping through the window was armed.

However, the Department of Justice and the Capitol Police did not find wrongdoing by the officer.

The lawsuit alleges that the officer, who was not in uniform, failed to de-escalate the situation and did not give her any warnings or commands before opening fire. It also alleges negligence on the part of Capitol Police. The lawsuit says the department “should have known” that the officer was “prone to behave in a dangerous or otherwise incompetent manner.”
“Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone,” the lawsuit said.

It's good that the Trump administration is finally settling with the family; that's the right thing to do and it's long overdue. The Biden team should have done it long ago. But it's the Biden team. Maybe it's a small comfort now. She's still gone, but it gives them a little bit of justice, at least civilly. The agreement is expected to be signed within the next few weeks, Robert Sticht, a lawyer for Babbitt's family said, although he did not reveal any details of the agreement or what the settlement might entail.

Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie.

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