A lawsuit against the government over the shooting by a Capitol police officer of an unarmed Ashli Babbitt, who was at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to protest what many saw as an unfair election result, apparently has been settled.
Reports say the settlement to the family is for just about $5 million, with about one-third going to lawyers who advocated for her.
#BREAKING: The Trump administration has agreed to a $5 MILLION settlement with the family of Ashli Babbitt
Babbitt was kiIIed in cold blood by Michael Byrd
Now, time to ARREST Byrd for murder! pic.twitter.com/BJTzHW09Sz
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 19, 2025
BREAKING: The Trump administration has agreed to a $5 million settlement with Ashli Babbitt’s family after she was fatally shot by police during the January 6th protest. pic.twitter.com/keumBE1B7O
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 19, 2025
Outgoing @CapitolPolice chief Tom Manger confirmed to @CBSNews the Trump administration will pay $5 million to settle a wrongful death suit brought by the family of Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbit.
Manger told me he was “disappointed” and “disagreed” with the settlement.
— Michael Kaplan (@mkaplantv) May 19, 2025
A RedState report said the government apparently has agreed to those details to resolve the fight.
“Two people briefed on the matter said the Justice Department has agreed in principle to pay just under $5 million to Babbitt’s family, with about one-third to go to their attorneys, who include the conservative group Judicial Watch and Alexandria, Virginia, lawyer Richard Driscoll. The two people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a pending court matter,” the report said.
The case had been seeking $30 million.
The legal case alleged the police officer involved, Michael Byrd, used excessive force and unjustly caused the woman’s death.
The case was brought on behalf of Ashli Babbitt’s husband, Aaron.
“Lt. Byrd later confessed that he shot Ashli before seeing her hands or assessing her intentions or even identifying her as female. Ashli was unarmed. 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. Not one member of Congress was in the lobby, which was guarded by multiple armed police officers,” RedState commented.
WND reported earlier when it was documented that a settlement was being pursued.
At that time, Department of Justice Lawyer Joseph Gonzalez and Robert Sticht, representing Babbitt’s husband, Aaron, confirmed the settlement was in process.
Byrd shot and killed Babbitt as she was part of a group of protesters who had entered the Capitol and ended up near the House chamber.
BREAKING: The Trump administration reaches a settlement with the family of Ashli Babbitt, rioter killed on Jan. 6, 2021. https://t.co/lTA6J0iTSS
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 2, 2025
EXPOSED: Lt. Byrd, who killed Ashli Babbitt, received special protection, faced no prosecution, no real investigation, and lived at a military facility for 6 months—all on YOUR tax dollars. https://t.co/OZyoGnLT6h… pic.twitter.com/SyKpNTvhsP
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) May 2, 2025
The filing described that Byrd “negligently discharged his firearm and failed to warn Babbitt or de-escalate the situation. The suit also alleged negligence on the part of other officers near the Speaker’s Lobby at the time of the shooting as well as the U.S. Capitol Police and the Capitol Police Board in failing to properly train Byrd in tactical decision-making.”
Babbitt was an Air Force veteran but was killed during the protests that day.
