Ashli Babbitt’s family reached a settlement Monday with the Department of Justice (DOJ) for $5 million. During the January 6 US Capitol protests in 2021, Babbitt, a veteran of the US Air Force, was shot in the shoulder by a Capitol police officer for entering the building and not heeding orders from Lieutenant Officer Michael Byrd. She died later from her gunshot wounds in the hospital.
According to Daily Wire, “Babbitt’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the federal government last year, seeking $30 million. The Justice Department previously opposed the suit and planned to argue against it in a trial scheduled for July 2026.”
In March, President Trump, who is a defender of Babbitt, said in an interview with Newsmax that he would look into the case:
“Well, I’ll look into that. I mean, you’re just telling me that for the first time, I haven’t heard that,” Trump said. “I’m a big fan of Ashli Babbitt. 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. And a man did something to her that was unthinkable when he shot her. And I think it’s a disgrace. I’m going to look into that. I did not know that.”
The DOJ’s previous investigation in 2021 found no wrongdoing by Byrd in shooting Babbitt. Outgoing Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger, who took the role immediately after the January 6 protests, expressed his extreme disappointment with the settlement:
“I am extremely disappointed and disagree with this settlement. This settlement sends a chilling message to law enforcement nationwide, especially to those with a protective mission like ours.”
