icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
23 Aug, 2021 16:58

‘Case closed’: Police shooting of Ashli Babbitt during January 6 riots ruled ‘lawful,’ officer will NOT face disciplinary action

‘Case closed’: Police shooting of Ashli Babbitt during January 6 riots ruled ‘lawful,’ officer will NOT face disciplinary action

The Capitol Police officer who shot an unarmed Trump supporter dead during the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill won’t face disciplinary measures, and will remain unidentified, the force announced after an internal probe concluded.

Ashli Babbitt, a military veteran and supporter of former President Donald Trump, was shot dead by a Capitol Police officer as she pushed forward with a group of protesters inside the US Capitol in January. Her death was the only death that day to have been conclusively linked to the actions of another person.

Babbitt’s death outraged many conservatives, but the officer responsible will face no consequences, the Capitol Police announced on Monday. An internal investigation found that “the officer’s conduct was lawful,” and as such they “will not be facing internal discipline.”

Furthermore, the officer will remain unidentified due to “numerous credible and specific threats,” the announcement continued, adding that the officer’s conduct “potentially saved Members and staff from serious injury and possible death.”

Also on rt.com Capitol rioter accused of ‘egregiously’ violating release terms by accessing internet & watching symposium on ‘election fraud’

With the closing of the investigation, the likelihood that Babbitt’s killer will ever be identified is slim. The Justice Department closed an investigation into the shooting back in April, and Babbitt’s husband has failed to uncover their identity via a Freedom of Information Act request (the United States Capitol Police is exempt from FOIA oversight, but Washington DC’s Metropolitan Police Department reportedly ignored the request). The husband, Aaron Babbitt, has since filed a lawsuit in a bid to force more details around the shooting into the open.

Conservatives, including Trump, have repeatedly demanded that Babbitt’s killer be unmasked, and some theories as to his/her identity have been floated. One of these theories, promoted by Trump, is that Babbitt’s killer was the “head of security” for a top Democrat. Another names a 53-year veteran of the force as the shooter.

Also on rt.com Pelosi wants Republican leadership to condemn Trump's ‘threat’ against Ashli Babbitt shooter

Aside from Babbitt, three other protesters died at the Capitol that day, two of natural causes and one of a drug overdose. A Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died of a stroke hours after the riots concluded, rather than by being bludgeoned to death by protesters, as initial media reports claimed. Four other Capitol Police officers have allegedly died of suicide in the months following the riot.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!

Podcasts
0:00
13:3
0:00
13:32