Trump Administration Reaches Tentative Settlement in Ashli Babbitt Death Lawsuit
The Trump administration has reached a tentative agreement to resolve a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Ashli Babbitt’s family, following her shooting by a Capitol Police officer during the January 6 Capitol riot, attorneys announced on Friday.
Attorneys representing Babbitt’s estate and the Justice Department informed a Washington federal court judge about the settlement, although the specifics are still being finalized and the agreement remains unsigned. The financial terms of the settlement have not been made public.
The lawsuit, demanding $30 million, was initiated last year by Babbitt’s family after she was fatally shot. Babbitt was attempting to climb through a damaged window of a barricaded door leading to the Speaker’s Lobby within the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia cleared the Capitol Police officer involved, determining he acted in self-defense and in protection of congressional members. The Capitol Police also absolved the officer of any misconduct.
Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, was unarmed when the officer shot her as she attempted to enter the lobby outside the House chamber amid a crowd trying to gain access.
The lawsuit accuses the officer, who was not in uniform, of not attempting to de-escalate the situation and failing to issue any warnings before using his weapon. It further alleges negligence by Capitol Police, asserting the department “should have known” about the officer’s potential for unsafe or incompetent behavior.
“Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone,” the lawsuit states.
In a televised interview, the officer described firing his weapon as a “last resort,” explaining he was unaware if the individual entering through the window was armed.
Requests for comments from Capitol Police officials and an attorney for Babbitt’s estate went unanswered on Friday.
In January, President Donald Trump issued pardons, commuted sentences, or dismissed charges for over 1,500 individuals accused in connection to the riot. More details on related cases.
