OANâs Abril Elfi
8:10 AM â Sunday, January 7, 2024
The family of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot during the Capitol event on January 6th, 2021, has sued the United States government for $30 million.
On Friday, the family of Babbit filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, asserting claims of wrongful death and negligence.
On January 6th, 2021, Babbitt was shot by U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd during the event at the Capitol in her left shoulder as she was trying to climb through a barricaded door near the House Speaker’s Lobby and died at a nearby hospital.
Her husband, Aaron Babbitt, filed the lawsuit in a U.S. District Court in California, alleging several claims against the government.
Judicial Watch, a conservative activist group, said in a press release on Friday that their lawyers will be representing Aaron in the lawsuit, and he is seeking $30 million.
In 2021, the U.S. Capitol Police cleared Byrd of any misconduct following an internal investigation that revealed he may have prevented the deaths of lawmakers and staff members.
In August 2021, the Justice Department decided not to file charges against Byrd, citing insufficient evidence that Byrd shot Ashli in an unreasonable manner or in a way that purposefully violated her civil rights.
However, Aaron claimed in the lawsuit that after his wife was shot, she was ambushed and that several people shouted, “You just murdered her.”
“Ashli was unarmed,” the lawsuit says. “Her hands were up in the air, empty, and in plain view of Lt. Byrd and other officers in the lobby. Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone.”
Four other protesters died during the event, and more than 1,100 of them have been charged.
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