The mother of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ashli-babbitt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ashli Babbitt</a> says she was &#8220;aggressively&#8221; arrested near the Capitol on Friday, two years after her daughter was fatally shot in the halls of Congress.
Micki Witthoeft <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_EbESkg_C8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared her story with Newsmax</a> hours after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/capitol-police-arrest-ashli-babbitts-mother-on-two-year-anniversary-of-riot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she was detained</a> for allegedly failing to obey an order and obstructing a roadway. Witthoeft said she and others were looking for a place to lay down flowers at the Capitol for her daughter and other &#8220;unarmed American patriots&#8221; in the crowd on January 6, 2021, who died.
On that day two years ago, Babbitt, an Air Force veteran in her mid-30s who was a supporter of former President Donald Trump, entered the U.S. Capitol with a crowd of people, disrupting lawmakers meeting to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/01/08/ashli-babbitt-shooting-video-capitol/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Video shows the moment</a> she was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer as she climbed through the broken window of a barricaded door near the Speaker&#8217;s Lobby.
The Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refused to pursue criminal charges</a> and the Capitol Police <a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/uscp-completes-internal-investigation-january-6-officer-involved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declined to take disciplinary action</a> in connection to the incident against the officer, Lt. Michael Byrd, who claimed to NBC News that <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/officer-who-shot-ashli-babbitt-during-capitol-riot-breaks-silence-n1277736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pulling the trigger</a> was a “last resort.”
On Friday, as President Joe Biden awarded medals to a dozen individuals, including police officers who were injured defending the Capitol two years ago, Witthoeft said her group&#8217;s initial plan was to lay flowers on the steps of the Capitol. Witthoeft said people were being let in, but her group &#8220;with our signs and our flags&#8221; were denied entry. As the group walked around to find another spot, Witthoeft said they were limited in where they could walk.
Witthoeft said there were other citizens walking on a sidewalk, but her group was not allowed to &#8220;because we had American flags at the United States Capitol.&#8221; Witthoeft said crossing four lanes of traffic to the other side would have deprived her of honoring Babbitt, and so they walked on the road. This was when the arrest caught on video took place.
Witthoeft said one officer &#8220;aggressively&#8221; detained her. &#8220;He was very aggressive. I put my hands behind my back and that&#8217;s when he started yanking me around,&#8221; she added.
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BABBITT&#39;S MOTHER SPEAKS OUT: Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt, speaks out to <a href="https://twitter.com/SchmittNYC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SchmittNYC</a> after she herself was arrested by Capitol police on the two-year anniversary of the date of her daughter&#39;s killing. ➡ <a href="https://t.co/QiLDC8cWv4">https://t.co/QiLDC8cWv4</a> <a href="https://t.co/9f01Q4bcjY">pic.twitter.com/9f01Q4bcjY</a>
&mdash; NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) <a href="https://twitter.com/NEWSMAX/status/1611537753354964996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The Capitol Police released a <a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/woman-charged-blocking-and-obstructing-roadways-obey-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that said a group of demonstrators was &#8220;illegally blocking traffic&#8221; on Independence Avenue, SW, near First Street, SW.
&#8220;The group did not have a permit to demonstrate on Capitol Grounds,&#8221; Capitol Police said. &#8220;Officers established a clear police line to prevent the group from moving further west on Independence Avenue, SW. The officers and officials told the group to get out of the road or the group would be arrested. The sidewalk was open. A woman in the group was given multiple warnings to get out of the road. Instead of getting out of the road, the woman refused to leave, turned around with her hands behind her back, and asked to be arrested.&#8221;
The woman, identified as 58-year-old Witthoeft, was arrested on a charge of blocking and obstructing roadways, as well as for allegedly violating a regulation to obey an order. &#8220;As is typical for this charge, Ms. Witthoeft was processed and released this afternoon after being given a citation to appear in court at a later date,&#8221; the Capitol Police said.
Newsmax host Rob Schmitt, who was interviewing Witthoeft, said Black Lives Matter and climate protesters receive different treatment. He also posited that what happened to Witthoeft and her group &#8220;was political in nature to some extent.&#8221;
The interview ended with Witthoeft talking about how she and others have been holding vigils outside the Washington, D.C., jail where Capitol riot defendants are being held &#8220;unconstitutionally.&#8221; She added that they have been sitting in on the trials and, &#8220;it&#8217;s my opinion that they tried the day on the calendar and not the person to the offense.&#8221;

Micki Witthoeft, the mother of slain J6 participant Ashli Babbitt

Ashli Babbitt’s Mother Speaks Out After Arrest

Ashli Babbitt's Mother Speaks Out After Arrest

Ashli Babbitt

Capitol Police

Capitol Riot

General

U.S.

Washington D.C.

The mother of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ashli-babbitt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ashli Babbitt</a> got arrested at a demonstration near the Capitol exactly two years after her daughter was fatally shot during the Capitol riot.
Video footage posted to Twitter showed Babbitt&#8217;s mother, Micki Witthoeft, being escorted by officers into a Capitol Police vehicle on Friday afternoon.
Capitol Police <a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/woman-charged-blocking-and-obstructing-roadways-obey-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released a statement</a> that said Witthoeft, 58, was arrested on a charge of blocking and obstructing roadways, as well as for allegedly violating a regulation to obey an order.
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Capitol Police said there were a group of demonstrators &#8220;illegally blocking traffic on Independence Avenue, SW, near First Street, SW.&#8221;
The statement added: &#8220;The group did not have a permit to demonstrate on Capitol Grounds. Officers established a clear police line to prevent the group from moving further west on Independence Avenue, SW. The officers and officials told the group to get out of the road or the group would be arrested. The sidewalk was open. A woman in the group was given multiple warnings to get out of the road. Instead of getting out of the road, the woman refused to leave, turned around with her hands behind her back, and asked to be arrested.&#8221;
The statement concluded: &#8220;As is typical for this charge, Ms. Witthoeft was processed and released this afternoon after being given a citation to appear in court at a later date.&#8221;
The demonstration near the Capitol took place on the two-year anniversary of the Capitol riot. Witthoeft was part of a group demonstrating near the Supreme Court in support of people arrested and charged in connection to the riot, per Getty. Witthoeft later told Newsmax that she was arrested while seeking to lay down flowers for the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/05/us/politics/jan-6-capitol-deaths.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four people in the January 6 crowd</a>, including her daughter, who died two years ago.
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BABBITT&#39;S MOTHER SPEAKS OUT: Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt, speaks out to <a href="https://twitter.com/SchmittNYC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SchmittNYC</a> after she herself was arrested by Capitol police on the two-year anniversary of the date of her daughter&#39;s killing. ➡ <a href="https://t.co/QiLDC8cWv4">https://t.co/QiLDC8cWv4</a> <a href="https://t.co/9f01Q4bcjY">pic.twitter.com/9f01Q4bcjY</a>
&mdash; NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) <a href="https://twitter.com/NEWSMAX/status/1611537753354964996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Democrats marked the anniversary of the riot with President Joe Biden awarding medals to a dozen individuals, <a href="https://abc7.com/citizens-medal-jan-6-president-biden-capitol-insurrection/12660974/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including police officers</a> who were injured defending the Capitol that day.
Babbitt, an Air Force veteran in her mid-30s who was a supporter of former President Donald Trump, entered the U.S. Capitol with a throng of people on January 6, 2021, disrupting lawmakers meeting to certify Biden&#8217;s 2020 election victory.
A Capitol Police officer shot Babbitt as she tried to make her way through a broken window of a barricaded door near the Speaker&#8217;s Lobby, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/01/08/ashli-babbitt-shooting-video-capitol/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as shown in video clips</a>. She later died at a nearby hospital from her injuries, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to authorities</a>.
After the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refused to pursue criminal charges</a> and the Capitol Police <a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/uscp-completes-internal-investigation-january-6-officer-involved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declined to take disciplinary action</a> in connection to the incident, Lt. Michael Byrd revealed himself as the officer who shot Babbitt.
“I know that day I saved countless lives,” Byrd said in an <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/officer-who-shot-ashli-babbitt-during-capitol-riot-breaks-silence-n1277736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with NBC News</a>. “I know members of Congress, as well as my fellow officers and staff, were in jeopardy and in serious danger. And that’s my job.” He told the news outlet that pulling the trigger was a &#8220;last resort.&#8221;
Though Babbitt&#8217;s family in San Diego, California, were said to sue the Capitol Police for $10 million, <a href="https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/ashli-babbitt-wrongful-death-lawsuit-not-filed/509-75117a93-aabf-4723-a755-e34bc90ba2dd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS 8 reported in June 2022</a> that they had yet to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Babbitt&#8217;s widower, Aaron Babbitt, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10381601/Ashli-Babbitts-husband-says-alive-attended-Capitol-Riot-her.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told TMZ early last year</a> he believed Ashli Babbitt would not have entered the Capitol if he flew to Washington, D.C., with her.
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Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt

Capitol Police Arrest Ashli Babbitt’s Mother On Two-Year Anniversary Of Riot

Capitol Police Arrest Ashli Babbitt's Mother On Two-Year Anniversary Of Riot

The Associated Press this week ran a 49-paragraph story some online have likened to a &#8220;smear&#8221; piece on Ashli Babbitt, a 35-year-old U.S. military veteran who was fatally shot by police in the Capitol during the January 6 riot.
&#8220;Ex-President Donald Trump and his supporters have sought to portray Ashli Babbitt as a righteous martyr. But the life of the Air Force veteran from California was more complicated than the heroic portrait presented by Trump and his allies,&#8221; AP reporter Michael Biesecker captioned his story on Babbitt.
The piece outlines, in painstaking fashion, an account from a woman who claims Babbitt harassed her and had an affair with her boyfriend. Babbitt was hit with criminal charges from slamming into the woman&#8217;s SUV. Readers only find out that the criminal charges were dropped against Babbitt, who claimed the crash was an accident, about three-quarters of the way into the piece; here&#8217;s the sum of that clarification: &#8220;A judge acquitted Babbitt on the criminal charges.&#8221;
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Ex-President Donald Trump and his supporters have sought to portray Ashli Babbitt as a righteous martyr. But the life of the Air Force veteran from California was more complicated than the heroic portrait presented by Trump and his allies.
My latest <a href="https://twitter.com/AP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AP</a>: <a href="https://t.co/Sly7HyPrjj">https://t.co/Sly7HyPrjj</a>
&mdash; Michael Biesecker (@mbieseck) <a href="https://twitter.com/mbieseck/status/1477908312670846980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Reporters and politicos online were quick to highlight the obvious media double-standard when covering unarmed fatalities with police involvement.
&#8220;This [Associated Press] article about <a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1cvl2hr r-1loqt21 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" role="link" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AshliBabbitt?src=hashtag_click">#AshliBabbitt</a>, a rioter killed by Capitol police on Jan. 6, is a remarkable act of victim-blaming,&#8221; posted Nick Gillespie. &#8220;Babbitt is neither a martyr nor a sinner and her messy personal life shouldn&#8217;t be used to imply she got what was coming.&#8221;
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This <a href="https://twitter.com/AP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AP</a> article about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AshliBabbitt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AshliBabbitt</a>, a rioter killed by Capitol police on Jan. 6, is a remarkable act of victim-blaming. Babbitt is neither a martyr nor a sinner and her messy personal life shouldn&#39;t be used to imply she got what was coming. <a href="https://t.co/Lu1SiBMKpL">https://t.co/Lu1SiBMKpL</a>
&mdash; Nick Gillespie (@nickgillespie) <a href="https://twitter.com/nickgillespie/status/1478016579434688518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;There is a reason the regime will smear Ashli Babbitt over her &#8216;past&#8217; and promotes George Floyd as a martyr of excessive force,&#8221; Jack Posobiec wrote.
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There is a reason the regime will smear Ashli Babbitt over her &#8216;past&#8217; and promotes George Floyd as a martyr of excessive force
— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1478037602217467908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Liberals get enraged when news outlets dig up dirt on the past of unarmed victims of police shootings in order to show they were &#8216;no angels&#8217;: i.e. to justify the shooting,&#8221; highlighted Glenn Greenwald. &#8220;Apparently it&#8217;s OK sometimes: here&#8217;s HuffPost on how Ashli Babbitt was no angel.&#8221;
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Liberals get enraged when news outlets dig up dirt on the past of unarmed victims of police shootings in order to show they were &#8220;no angels&#8221;: i.e. to justify the shooting.
Apparently it&#8217;s OK sometimes: here&#8217;s HuffPost on how Ashli Babbitt was no angel:<a href="https://t.co/S88SyDthiw">https://t.co/S88SyDthiw</a>
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1478084512701722627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>&#8220;Why is the media obsessed with smearing Ashli Babbitt’s name almost a year after her passing?&#8221; questioned Brigitte Gabriel.
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Why is the media obsessed with smearing Ashli Babbitt’s name almost a year after her passing?
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACTBrigitte/status/1478090826366476292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Notably, the officer who fatally shot Babbitt, who stood at 5 feet, 2 inches, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ashli-babbitt-investigation-no-charges-for-officer/">never had any charges brought against him</a>. When the AP covered the death of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-us-news-ap-top-news-hip-hop-and-rap-houston-a55d2662f200ead0da4fed9e923b60a7">George Floyd</a>, the outlet ran a 55 paragraph story underscoring Floyd&#8217;s upbringing in poverty, his athletic talent, and how much he was beloved in his hometown. The AP notedly glossed over Floyd&#8217;s lengthy rap sheet &#8212; which totaled five sentences:
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Between 1997 and 2005, Floyd was arrested several times on drug and theft charges, spending months in jail. &#8230; In August 2007, Floyd was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. Investigators said he and five other men barged into a woman’s apartment, and Floyd pushed a pistol into her abdomen before searching for items to steal. Floyd pleaded guilty in 2009 and was sentenced to five years in prison. By the time he was paroled, in January 2013, he was nearing 40.
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The AP coverage on Floyd&#8217;s &#8220;complicated life&#8221; opened with the following anecdote:
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Years before a bystander’s video of George Floyd’s last moments turned his name into a global cry for justice, Floyd trained a camera on himself.
“I just want to speak to you all real quick,” Floyd says in one video, addressing the young men in his neighborhood who looked up to him. His 6-foot-7 frame crowds the picture.
“I’ve got my shortcomings and my flaws and I ain’t better than nobody else,” he says. “But, man, the shootings that’s going on, I don’t care what ’hood you’re from, where you’re at, man. I love you and God loves you. Put them guns down.”
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Here&#8217;s how Babbitt&#8217;s &#8220;complex&#8221; story opened:
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The first time Celeste Norris laid eyes on Ashli Babbitt, the future insurrectionist had just rammed her vehicle three times with an SUV and was pounding on the window, challenging her to a fight.
Norris says the bad blood between them began in 2015, when Babbitt engaged in a monthslong extramarital affair with Norris’ longtime live-in boyfriend. When she learned of the relationship, Norris called Babbitt’s husband and told him she was cheating.
“She pulls up yelling and screaming,” Norris said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, recounting the July 29, 2016, road-rage incident in Prince Frederick, Maryland. “It took me a good 30 seconds to figure out who she was. … Just all sorts of expletives, telling me to get out of the car, that she was going to beat my ass.”
Terrified and confused, Norris dialed 911 and waited for law enforcement. Babbitt was later charged with numerous misdemeanors.
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ashli babbitt

‘Remarkable Act Of Victim-Blaming’: AP Slammed For Running ‘Smear’ Piece On Ashli Babbitt. That’s Not What They Did For George Floyd.

George Floyd

Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd, a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Capitol Police Department, has publicly come forward as the man who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt, the election certification protester who was killed after trying to enter the Speaker’s Lobby during the January 6 riot. 
During an interview, which aired late Thursday, Byrd told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/officer-who-shot-ashli-babbitt-during-capitol-riot-breaks-silence-n1277736">NBC News</a> that it was his job to protect the lawmakers and staff in the area — of whom there were about 60 to 80 people — and that he believes that he made the right decision. 
“I followed my training, and I spent countless years preparing for such a moment. You ultimately hope that moment never occurs, but you prepare as best you can. I know that day I saved countless lives,” said Byrd. “I know members of Congress, as well as my fellow officers and staff, were in jeopardy and in serious danger, and that&#8217;s my job.&#8221;
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NOW: Join us on <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNightlyNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCNightlyNews</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/LesterHoltNBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LesterHoltNBC</a>&#8216;s exclusive interview with Lieutenant Michael Byrd — the U.S. Capitol Police officer who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt while defending the U.S. House chamber during the Capitol attack. <a href="https://t.co/mgub2ZcYdQ">pic.twitter.com/mgub2ZcYdQ</a>
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNightlyNews/status/1431024048008482819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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During the riot, said Byrd, his police radio provided updates about the developing situation. One update said officers were down, and another said that there were shots fired — although he later said he learned that the shots fired update wasn’t true. These updates, he said, were his only glimpse into what was happening elsewhere. “It was literally broadcast over the air,” Byrd recalled.“I said, ‘OK, this is getting serious.’”
The doorway was barricaded with furniture, and Byrd, tasked with protecting lawmakers, says he was “essentially trapped” in place along with everyone else, without any way to retreat, reported NBC News. 
The crowd later approached the barricade. Byrd told NBC News that he couldn’t get an accurate count of how many people were on the other side there because of it, and had repeatedly told the crowd to get back. When Byrd saw another person — later identified as 35-year-old Ashli Babbitt — starting to come through the glass, he fired his gun. He said he was unaware that she was unarmed, and also didn&#8217;t know there were, at one point, officers on the other side of the barricade. 
“I tried to wait as long as I could,” said Byrd. “I hoped and prayed no one tried to enter through those doors. But their failure to comply required me to take the appropriate action to save the lives of members of Congress and myself and my fellow officers.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice closed the investigation into Byrd, and more recently, the U.S. Capitol Police determined that his actions were within department policy and that he would not face discipline.
&#8220;USCP&#8217;s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) determined the officer&#8217;s conduct was lawful and within Department policy, which says an officer may use deadly force only when the officer reasonably believes that action is in the defense of human life, including the officer&#8217;s own life, or in the defense of any person in immediate danger of serious physical injury,&#8221; <a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/uscp-completes-internal-investigation-january-6-officer-involved">said</a> the department.
The Department of Justice said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt">statement</a>, back in April, that it had found &#8220;no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber.&#8221;
Byrd denied that there were any other motivations behind the shooting and told NBC News that he has also protected former President Donald Trump in the past. “If he was in the Capitol and I was responsible for him, I’d do the same thing for him and his family,&#8221; said Byrd.
He told NBC News that he has decided to speak out in the hopes that people will understand that he did his job. “There was imminent threat and danger to the members of Congress. I just want the truth to be told,&#8221; he said.

Coronavirus Pandemic 2021 – US Capitol Damaged

Officer Who Shot Ashli Babbitt Comes Forward: ‘I Saved Countless Lives,’ ‘Followed My Training’

The law enforcement official who shot Ashli Babbitt, the election certification protester who tried to enter the Speaker’s Lobby of the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 riot, will speak publicly for the first time in an NBC News interview late airing late Thursday. 
Babbitt, 35, was fatally shot during the Capitol Hill unrest, and until now, the U.S. Capitol Police Officer who shot her has not been publicly identified. But the officer’s identity will be revealed during the Thursday interview, according to an announcement from NBC News. 
“Speaking out and revealing his identity publicly for the first time, the officer will share his perspective on the events of that day, including the aftermath of the deadly insurrection and the threats he has received,” reads the NBC News press release. 
“He will also discuss the recent news that Capitol Police will not discipline him following an internal review, exonerating him for use of force, as first reported by NBC News,&#8221; it continues. 
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TOMORROW: <a href="https://twitter.com/LesterHoltNBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LesterHoltNBC</a> sits down in an exclusive interview with the U.S. Capitol Police officer responsible for shooting and killing Ashli Babbitt while defending the U.S. House chamber during the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
Tune in at 6:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm CT. <a href="https://t.co/NHhG5Z8ZpA">pic.twitter.com/NHhG5Z8ZpA</a>
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNightlyNews/status/1430590805476093953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The interview will air during NBC Nightly News at 6:30 p.m. eastern standard time and comes after an internal investigation exonerated the officer. The Department of Justice, similarly, announced back in April that they were closing their investigation into the officer who shot Babbitt. 
“Officials examined video footage posted on social media, statements from the officer involved and other officers and witnesses to the events, physical evidence from the scene of the shooting, and the results of an autopsy,” the Justice Department said in an April 14 press release on its decision. “Based on that investigation, officials determined that there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution.”
Last week, in a statement to NBC News, an attorney for the officer said he showed bravery in &#8220;organizing and coordinating the defense of the House and its members and staff was nothing short of heroic.&#8221;
&#8220;The Lieutenant’s conduct saved lives and helped to end the violent insurrection,&#8221; said the attorney.

Capitol Police Officer Who Shot Ashli Babbitt To Speak Out In Interview

NBC News

The Capitol Police officer who shot protester Ashi Babbitt was found to be acting &#8220;lawfully&#8221; and &#8220;in line with department policy&#8221; and will not face internal sanctions, the Capitol Police said Monday.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/capitol-police-officer-who-shot-ashli-babbitt-exonerated-after-internal-investigation-report">The Daily Wire reported Friday</a> that the officer who shot Babbitt as she entered the Capitol Speaker&#8217;s Lobby through a broken window was &#8220;formally exonerated after the Capitol Police conducted an internal investigation, according to an internal document.&#8221;
The internal Capitol Police investigation represented the last such open investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 35-year-old Trump supporter&#8217;s death. A memo on the matter, obtained by NBC News, said that “no further action will be taken in this matter,&#8221; meaning that the officer &#8212; who will not be named &#8212; will not face discipline.
The Capitol Police unveiled the report itself on Monday. Officials &#8220;said they had interviewed multiple witnesses and reviewed video and radio calls as part of the months-long probe,&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9919695/Cop-killed-Ashli-Babbitt-acting-lawfully-Department-policy.html">according to the Daily Mail</a>.
&#8220;USCP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) determined the officer’s conduct was lawful and within Department policy, which says an officer may use deadly force only when the officer reasonably believes that action is in the defense of human life, including the officer’s own life, or in the defense of any person in immediate danger of serious physical injury,&#8221; read a statement from the Capitol Police.
The Capitol Police investigator also said that the officer who shot Ashli Babbitt may have &#8220;saved Members&#8217; lives,&#8221; referring to the Members of Congress who locked down inside the Capitol building after protesters interrupted a vote to certify the results of the Electoral College.
&#8220;Officials said the cop, who is not being named out of concerns for his safety due to threats, &#8216;potentially saved Members [of Congress] and staff from serious injury and possible death from a large crowd of rioters who forced their way into the U.S. Capitol and to the House Chamber where Members and staff were steps away,&#8221; the Daily Mail noted.
A Department of Justice investigation, which concluded earlier this year, reached similar results. Babbitt&#8217;s family said earlier this month that they plan to file a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against the Capitol Police, under the theory that the officer did not issue any verbal commands to Babbitt and others before he opened fire. A lawyer for the officer told RealClearInvestigations, &#8220;It’s a false narrative that he issued no verbal commands or warnings. He was screaming, &#8216;Stay back! Stay back! Don’t come in here!'&#8221;
&#8220;Lethal force is appropriate if the situation puts you or others in fear of imminent bodily harm. There should be a training video on how he handled that situation. What he did was unbelievable heroism,&#8221; the attorney told RCI.
Babbitt was the only protester who died during the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. A shocking video, which went viral, showed Babbitt as part of a group that tried to enter the locked Speaker&#8217;s Lobby on the House side of the building. Babbitt appears, in the video, to have been shot through a window. She was evacuated from the Capitol and taken to a nearby hospital where she died from her wounds.

Rioters clash with police trying to enter Capitol building

Cop Who Shot Ashli Babbitt Acted ‘Lawfully,’ ‘Saved Members From Possible Death,’ Capitol Police Says

The Capitol police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt during the Capitol riot on January 6 has reportedly been formally exonerated after the Capitol Police conducted an internal investigation, according to an internal document.
A memo from the commander of the Capitol Police’s Office of Personal Responsibility obtained by NBC News says that “no further action will be taken in this matter” after the officer was exonerated for his use of force, the outlet <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/capitol-police-officer-who-shot-ashli-babbitt-exonerated-internal-probe-n1277336">reported</a>.
There are now no remaining open investigations into Babbitt&#8217;s shooting.
In April, the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt">announced</a> that it would not pursue criminal charges against the officer, saying that it did not find that the officer had violated any federal laws. The officer&#8217;s name has not been made public.
&#8220;Officials examined video footage posted on social media, statements from the officer involved and other officers and witnesses to the events, physical evidence from the scene of the shooting, and the results of an autopsy,&#8221; the Justice Department said in an April 14 press release on its decision. &#8220;Based on that investigation, officials determined that there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution.&#8221;
Video of the incident showed Babbitt, 35, at the front of a crowd of Trump supporters inside the Capitol near a door leading to the Speaker’s Lobby just outside the House. On the other side, members of Congress were being evacuated. Babbitt is seen being hoisted up by a pair of men to a broken window, at which point the police officer in plain clothes fires one bullet in her direction, and she falls backward and starts bleeding. Babbitt was transported to a hospital, where she died later.
Babbitt was an Air Force veteran who served several Middle East tours between 2004 and 2016, including to Afghanistan in 2005 and Iraq in 2006, Air Force records <a href="https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2021/01/07/woman-shot-and-killed-at-capitol-was-security-forces-airman-qanon-adherent/">show</a>. She had been decorated with multiple awards. At the time of her death, she and her husband ran a pool service and supply business.
From San Diego, Babbitt had traveled to Washington, D.C., to protest former President Donald Trump&#8217;s election loss. Her social media activity showcased her strong support for Trump and suggested her adherence to the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Hundreds of Trump supporters stunned the nation when they forced their way into the Capitol building on January 6, just as a joint session of Congress convened to certify the results of the presidential election. In the months since, more than 500 defendants have been arrested in connection with the Capitol riot.
Many of the cases <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/terrorism-homicide-prosecutors-brought-in-to-try-capitol-riot-defendants-for-crimes-like-trespassing">follow</a> a cookie-cutter pattern involving some combination of trespassing and disorderly conduct charges, as well as “Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building.”
Last month, prosecutors <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-capitol-riot-arrests-latest/">said</a> they are still looking to identify hundreds more alleged riot participants. Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., has called in prosecutors from around the country to try cases against Capitol riot defendants.
Babbitt&#8217;s family is <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ashli-babbitt-family-lawyer-officer-killed-ambush-warning">planning</a> to file a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit.

Capitol Police Officer Who Shot Ashli Babbitt Exonerated After Internal Investigation: Report

The husband of Ashli Babbitt said Monday night on Fox News&#8217; &#8220;Tucker Carlson Tonight&#8221; that there&#8217;s been a &#8220;deafening silence&#8221; from the Metropolitan Police Department concerning the identity of the officer who fatally shot his wife on Jan. 6.
&#8220;Somebody in D.C. knows,&#8221; <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/ashli-babbitt-husband-goes-fox-142926007.html">said</a> Aaron Babbitt. &#8220;I think a lot of people know, but nobody is telling us. And the silence is deafening.”
Terry Roberts, an attorney representing the Babbitt family in a lawsuit against Capitol Police, told Carlson that he believes the officer who fatally shot Babbitt was the same man who allegedly left his loaded firearm in a public bathroom.
Carlson asked Mr. Roberts about reports online that suggest the officer who shot Babbit &#8220;was the same officer who left his loaded handgun in a public men&#8217;s room on the Capitol.&#8221;
&#8220;Do you believe that is the same officer &#8212; who seems like a very reckless person &#8212; who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt on January 6?&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s my belief,&#8221; Roberts responded. &#8220;That&#8217;s my belief.&#8221;
Babbit, 35, was unarmed when she was shot on Jan. 6 by Capitol Police during the breach of the Capitol. She died of a gunshot wound to the left shoulder, according to the D.C. Medical Examiner’s office.
The Department of Justice announced in April that the officer who fatally shot Babbitt will not be charged with her death.
Notably, the identity of the officer has never been revealed &#8212; not to the public and not privately to Babbitt&#8217;s family.
In April, Roberts <a href="https://rumble.com/vg43bn-attorney-for-family-of-ashli-babbit-announces-family-will-file-civil-charge.html">told</a> Newsmax that Babbitt has not received justice due to the politics of the case and her open support for former President Donald Trump. The attorney will be pursuing a civil action on behalf of the family alleging a violation of Babbitt’s constitutional rights, he said.
“I’m handling the civil action that will be filed, that’s my role,” the attorney said. “The family and I were disappointed in the Department of Justice’s decision on this, but my role is, really, to bring a civil action and in that way, vindicate her rights.”
“We think the evidence is ample and supports criminal charges against the officer,” Roberts argued, claiming the officer could see Babbitt was not armed and offered her no warning.
“This is a situation in which the officer could have easily arrested her, if he had grounds to arrest her, without using deadly force,” he said. “So, this was an egregious act of excessive force and he should have been charged.”
What “disturbs most people” about Babbitt’s case, Roberts told Newsmax, “is that there’s a double standard at work.”
“If you were to change the circumstances, change the location a little bit, it’s a certainty that there would be charges,” he argued. “Obviously, the political climate is such that charges are not favored here. It really bothers us that there is a double standard at work.”
Asked if the family believes that “politics” is a factor in the case, noting that Babbitt was a Trump supporter, Roberts responded, “Clearly, that has everything to do with it, unfortunately. It shouldn’t.”
WATCH:
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Asked by Fox host Tucker Carlson, Terrell Roberts, attorney for family of Ashli Babbitt, said it is his belief that the Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Babbitt on Jan. 6 is the same person who left a loaded handgun in a public men&#39;s restroom at the Capitol. <a href="https://t.co/pzw8oFdvRy">pic.twitter.com/pzw8oFdvRy</a>
&mdash; Daniel Chaitin (@danielchaitin7) <a href="https://twitter.com/danielchaitin7/status/1404601880186179585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ashli-babbitt-lawyer-talks-plans-to-sue-capitol-police-a-double-standard-at-work-politics-has-everything-to-do-with-it">Ashli Babbitt Lawyer Talks Plans To Sue Capitol Police: ‘A Double Standard At Work,’ Politics Has ‘Everything To Do With It’</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-wont-seek-charges-against-capitol-officer-for-ashli-babbitt-shooting">Officials Won’t Seek Charges Against Capitol Officer For Ashli Babbitt Shooting</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ashli-babbitt-was-killed-by-capitol-police-on-january-6-they-still-wont-tell-us-who-did-it-or-why">WALSH: Ashli Babbitt Was Killed By Capitol Police On January 6. They Still Won’t Tell Us Who Did It Or Why.</a>

Washington DC Tense After U.S. Capitol Is Stormed By Protestors

WATCH: Ashli Babbitt Husband, Attorney Discuss Alleged Identity Of Officer, ‘Deafening Silence’ From Authorities

&#8220;U.S. authorities&#8221; have seized approximately $90,000 from Utah man, John Earle Sullivan, who filmed Ashli Babbitt&#8217;s death inside the United States Capitol on January 6th, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-seizes-90000-man-who-sold-footage-us-capitol-riot-2021-05-21/">per Reuters</a>.
Babbitt and several others were allegedly attempting to break into the Speaker&#8217;s Lobby after breaching U.S. Capitol security when she was shot by a Capitol Police officer. Babbitt, an Air Force veteran, later died of her wounds. Last month, federal prosecutors &#8220;determined that there was insufficient evidence to prove Babbitt’s civil rights were violated and that it was reasonable for the officer to believe he was firing in self-defense or in defense of members of Congress and aides who were fleeing the House chamber,&#8221;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/ashli-babbitt-capitol-police-shooting/2021/04/14/452fb414-666a-11eb-886d-5264d4ceb46d_story.html"> according to The Washington Post</a>.
Sullivan, however, is facing eight charges associated with the riots at the United States Capitol, and prosecutors have seized the money he made selling graphic footage of the incident that led to Babbitt&#8217;s death to several news organizations.
&#8220;According to the court filings, Sullivan portrayed himself as an independent journalist who was reporting on the chaos, but actually encouraged other participants to &#8216;burn&#8217; the building and engage in violence,&#8221; Reuters reported Sunday. <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/us-seizes-90k-capitol-rioter-earned-selling-footage-police-shooting-ashli-babbitt-1593946">According to Newsweek</a>, Sullivan did not have any current media credentials, though he claimed in other videos, posted from the U.S. Capitol that day, that &#8220;was not there to be a participant. I was there to record.&#8221;
&#8220;Sullivan recorded video of the confrontation between rioters and police just outside the U.S. House of Representatives chamber that included the shooting of protester Ashli Babbitt and, according to court filings, boasted to an unnamed witness that &#8216;my footage is worth like a million of dollars, millions of dollars,'&#8221; the outlet continued.
Filings show the footage was worth approximately $90,000 to several news outlets, including The Washington Post and NBC News.
&#8220;Multiple cellphone videos captured the shooting as it unfolded on the afternoon of Jan. 6. Babbitt and a group of other rioters made their way inside the Capitol to barricaded doors leading to the Speaker’s Lobby, which is the hallway outside the House chamber where some lawmakers were sheltering during the siege,'&#8221; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/ashli-babbitt-capitol-police-shooting/2021/04/14/452fb414-666a-11eb-886d-5264d4ceb46d_story.html">The Washington Post reported at the time</a>, though it did not cite Sullivan&#8217;s video specifically. Videos show the group pummeling the wood-and-glass doors with a helmet, feet, and a flagpole. A Capitol Police officer in a suit and a surgical mask is seen standing in a doorway on the far side of the doors with his gun drawn&#8221;
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&#8220;The officer opened fire as Babbitt, who was wearing a Trump flag like a cape, attempted to crawl through one of the broken panes of the Speaker’s Lobby doors, video shows. Babbitt, who was hit in the shoulder, tumbled backward onto the floor,&#8221; the Post added.
Reuters noted Sunday that the number of people charged for participating in the January 6th riots is now up to 440, and the government is still seeking information on several individuals they believe took part in the riot.

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Trump Supporters Hold “Stop The Steal” Rally In DC Amid Ratification Of Presidential Election

Feds Seize $90K Alleged Capitol Rioter Earned From Selling Footage Of Ashli Babbitt Shooting

An attorney for the family of fatally shot Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt detailed plans Monday to sue Capitol Police on behalf of the Babbitt family, arguing that the officer in question has not been charged for alleged use of excessive force because of the politics surrounding the case.
Babbit, 35, was unarmed when she was shot on Jan. 6 by Capitol Police during the breach of the Capitol. She died of a gunshot wound to the left shoulder, according to the D.C. Medical Examiner’s office.
The Department of Justice announced earlier this month that the officer who fatally shot Babbitt will not be charged in her death. The officer&#8217;s name has never been made public.
Attorney Terry Roberts <a href="https://rumble.com/vg43bn-attorney-for-family-of-ashli-babbit-announces-family-will-file-civil-charge.html">told</a> Newsmax on Monday that Babbitt has not received justice due to the politics of the case and her open support for former President Donald Trump. The attorney will be pursuing a civil action on behalf of the family alleging a violation of Babbitt&#8217;s constitutional rights, he said.
“I&#8217;m handling the civil action that will be filed, that&#8217;s my role,&#8221; Roberts said. &#8220;The family and I were disappointed in the Department of Justice’s decision on this, but my role is, really, to bring a civil action and in that way, vindicate her rights.&#8221;
“We think the evidence is ample and supports criminal charges against the officer,&#8221; Roberts argued, claiming the officer could see Babbitt was not armed and offered her no warning.
&#8220;This is a situation in which the officer could have easily arrested her, if he had grounds to arrest her, without using deadly force,” he said. “So, this was an egregious act of excessive force and he should have been charged.&#8221;
The Epoch Times <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/lawyer-for-ashli-babbitts-family-says-lawsuit-will-be-filed-soon-against-us-capitol-police_3791931.html">reported</a> that an attorney for the officer who shot Babbitt says his client was within his rights.
“He fired only one shot at the only person who breached the locked doors and makeshift barricade that had been erected,&#8221; said Mark Schamel. &#8220;He did so after clearly identifying himself and ordering the mob not to come through the barricade.&#8221;
“He used tremendous restraint in only firing one shot, and his actions stopped the mob from breaking through and turning a horrific day in American history into something so much worse,&#8221; he added.
Roberts told Newsmax that what &#8220;disturbs most people&#8221; about Babbitt&#8217;s case &#8220;is that there&#8217;s a double standard at work.&#8221;
&#8220;If you were to change the circumstances, change the location a little bit, it&#8217;s a certainty that there would be charges,&#8221; he argued. &#8220;Obviously, the political climate is such that charges are not favored here. It really bothers us that there is a double standard at work.&#8221;
Asked if the family believes that &#8220;politics&#8221; is a factor in the case, noting that Babbitt was a Trump supporter, Roberts responded, &#8220;Clearly, that has everything to do with it, unfortunately. It shouldn&#8217;t.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-wont-seek-charges-against-capitol-officer-for-ashli-babbitt-shooting">Officials Won’t Seek Charges Against Capitol Officer For Ashli Babbitt Shooting</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ashli-babbitt-was-killed-by-capitol-police-on-january-6-they-still-wont-tell-us-who-did-it-or-why">WALSH: Ashli Babbitt Was Killed By Capitol Police On January 6. They Still Won’t Tell Us Who Did It Or Why.</a>

Ashli Babbitt Lawyer Talks Plans To Sue Capitol Police: ‘A Double Standard At Work,’ Politics Has ‘Everything To Do With It’

Less than a day after armed robbery suspect Daunte Wright was shot by police, the name of the police officer who pulled the trigger was publicly released. A short time later, her address was leaked. Now her home is surrounded by concrete barricades, metal fencing, and armed police guards, in hopes of preventing the violent mob from burning it to the ground. This is generally how things have played out for all of the high-profile police shootings in recent memory. All except one.
It was announced yesterday by the DOJ that the officer who shot Ashli Babbitt, one of the pro-Trump rioters at the Capitol on January 6th, will not be charged in her death. The statement from the DOJ refers to this man only as “the U.S. Capitol Police officer” because his name was never made public. Four months later, and we know absolutely nothing about the federal officer who shot an unarmed woman in the Capitol. It took one day to find out who shot Daunte Wright and where she lives. But more than 120 days after Babbitt&#8217;s killing, and we know as much about the shooter as we did the moment after he pulled the trigger.
Whatever you think of the Ashli Babbitt shooting, whether you believe it to be justified or not, you should not be okay with this state of affairs. All Americans of all ideological persuasions should agree, if we deserve to know the names of the officers in every other high-profile incident of this sort, the public deserves to know the officer’s name in the Babbitt case. 
Here is what we are being told about the officer, from the DOJ statement published this week:
<blockquote>The focus of the criminal investigation was to determine whether federal prosecutors could prove that the officer violated any federal laws, concentrating on the possible application of 18 U.S.C. § 242, a federal criminal civil rights statute.  In order to establish a violation of this statute, prosecutors must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted willfully to deprive Ms. Babbitt of a right protected by the Constitution or other law, here the Fourth Amendment right not to be subjected to an unreasonable seizure.  Prosecutors would have to prove not only that the officer used force that was constitutionally unreasonable, but that the officer did so “willfully,” which the Supreme Court has interpreted to mean that the officer acted with a bad purpose to disregard the law.  As this requirement has been interpreted by the courts, evidence that an officer acted out of fear, mistake, panic, misperception, negligence, or even poor judgment cannot establish the high level of intent required under Section 242.
The investigation revealed no evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully committed a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242.  Specifically, the investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber.  Acknowledging the tragic loss of life and offering condolences to Ms. Babbitt’s family, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Department of Justice have therefore closed the investigation into this matter.</blockquote>
That’s it. That’s the end of it, as far as they are concerned. Notice that the statement does not actually tell us specifically why the officer shot Babbitt. We are given only a broad category of acceptable reasons for a cop to shoot someone, and assured that his reason probably fell somewhere in the vicinity of that category. This, again, is outrageous. An unarmed woman was shot by a federal officer. They will not tell us who did it or why. And those who have screamed the loudest about &#8220;police brutality&#8221; seem conspicuously unconcerned with the lack of transparency and uninterested in accountability in this case.
What about those of us who have integrity and who actually care about things like truth and justice? What should we think about this? Well, it’s hard to know what to think, because we are told so little about the case. All we have is the video taken by someone in the crowd. There is, no doubt, all kinds of additional footage available — security cameras, body cameras, etc. — but we have not been allowed to see any of it.
Based on what we can see, we know that Babbitt was unarmed and climbing through a door into a hallway guarded by armed police officers. There were also heavily armed and armored officers coming up the stairs directly behind her. Babbitt was literally surrounded on all sides by cops. One of those officers fired a shot. He was, apparently, the only officer on the scene that day who felt it necessary to take that lethal step.
Was the step justified? If it was, the argument in the unnamed cop’s favor would go something like this: “Ashli Babbitt was trespassing with an unruly mob in a government building. She was given multiple warnings to leave the area. The warnings may or may not have been verbal, but the hallway was locked and barricaded and there were police officers guarding it with guns. She knew she was not supposed to keep going, but she did. The officer didn’t know what her intentions were, and made the best decision he could in that high pressure situation.”
I have heard words to this effect from many defenders of the Capitol Police — many of them defending police for the first and only time in their lives. I am not convinced. Yes, Babbitt was trespassing. Yes, it was reckless to climb through that door. No, I can’t defend her decision, or tell you what in the world could have possibly been going through her mind when she made it. Even so, she was a 5’2”, 110-pound, middle aged, unarmed woman. The male officer who shot her was easily twice her size. Could he not have subdued or restrained her through less lethal means? It&#8217;s clear in hindsight that she posed no significant physical risk to him, but is it plausible that he reasonably believed otherwise? Again, I&#8217;m not convinced, because we simply do not have enough relevant details about what unfolded to determine either way.
Another important question: Did that officer verbally warn her that he was going to shoot? There were indeed all kinds of visual cues that she was not supposed to climb through the door. But did he yell to her and say, &#8220;Stop or I will shoot”? The fact that they aren&#8217;t telling us whether he issued a verbal warning makes me very suspicious that he did not. Again, we simply do not know because we are being told stunningly little about the case.
Here&#8217;s one thing we can say. If the shooting of Ashli Babbitt was justified, then a great many of the high-profile shootings that have sparked BLM riots were also justified. Any logically consistent argument that would validate Babbitt’s killing, would also validate the killing of many BLM martyrs. She was in the process of committing a crime? Yes, so was George Floyd. So was Michael Brown. She was given warnings? We don’t actually know that she was, but we know that Jacob Blake was. She was unarmed but could have still theoretically posed a lethal threat? BLM has protested the police killings even of armed suspects, like Deon Kay in D.C. who was shot while running towards officers with his gun drawn. Many others were not armed but were still presenting themselves as clear physical threats, like Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, who fought officers and stole one of their tasers. She should have known better? Yes, that&#8217;s true. Daunte Wright should have known better, too.
If Ashli Babbitt brought her death on herself, if she is to blame, if she is not the victim but the perpetrator who reaped the consequences of her own actions, then the same applies to every name listed above, and then some. If you attempt to get around this conclusion by adding that she was an “insurrectionist” trying to take over a government building, you have made an argument that would potentially put many current BLM and Antifa rioters directly in the line of fire. Though, in their case, they have been allowed to wage assaults on federal buildings for months on end, and sometimes even take over government facilities like police stations and set them on fire, without a single shot being fired at them.
As we have seen, Babbitt was treated, and continues to be treated, according to an entirely different standard. We live under a two-tiered system — one that favors some and not others. Ashli Babbitt falls on the losing side of that coin. And no matter what they might say, or excuses they might offer, in the minds of BLM and the media and our government, that is why her death is not an outrage or a crime.
The views expressed in this piece are the author&#8217;s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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