The husband of Ashli Babbitt, a military veteran who was shot and killed during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, is suing the government for wrongful death.
Judicial Watch reports that attorneys have filed a lawsuit on behalf of Aaron Babbitt and his estate against the U.S. government seeking $30 million. court documents It was released on Friday. The lawsuit alleges wrongful death, assault and battery.
Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd during a protest on January 6, 2021. The suit alleges that Byrd was negligent when he fired the gun at Babbitt, according to court records, but his lawyers say Babbitt attended President Trump's “Save America” rally. He said he only went to Washington, D.C., to do so. They argued that the Trump supporter and Air Force veteran “posed no threat to anyone's safety.”
“The facts speak the truth: Ms. Ashli was ambushed and shot by Lt. Byrd,” the attorneys wrote. “Ashli did not go to Washington as part of a group or for any illegal or nefarious purpose.”
🚨BREAKING: Judicial watchdog files $30 million wrongful death lawsuit against U.S. government on behalf of Ashli Babbitt's husband and estate. pic.twitter.com/MUh8SAE1F9
— I'm a meme, so I'm 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) January 5, 2024
Byrd is accused of falsely brandishing a firearm and violating safety, use of force and imminent threat standards, according to the complaint. Byrd was reportedly not in uniform when he shot Ashli, did not identify himself as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department, and did not give any “warnings or commands” before firing.
According to the lawsuit, Ashli claims she could not see Byrd before shooting him. press release By Judicial Watch. After experiencing extreme pain, suffering, and emotional distress, she allegedly lost consciousness and was pronounced dead at Washington Hospital Center at 3:15 p.m. (Related: House Speaker Johnson Announces January 6thth Capitol riot tape)
According to a press release, Ashli's autopsy determined the cause of death was “a gunshot wound to the front of the left shoulder.” Her lungs contained blood, which her complaint claims proves she was alive after being shot.
The press release stated that Byrd had been disciplined for an incident prior to January 6, 2021. He reportedly left the same Glock he used to kill Ashli in the bathroom in 2019 and has been stripped of his police powers multiple times for failing to meet semi-annual firearms eligibility requirements. That's what it means.
