As reported earlier — The Biden Justice Department announced Wednesday it has closed the investigation into the homicide death of Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt that took place inside the Capitol during the January 6 riot. This was while Congress was meeting in joint session to certify the November presidential election in favor of Joe Biden.
Babbitt, who was unarmed, was shot and killed without apparent warning by a plainclothes Capitol Police officer as she climbed through a broken window in a door at the Speaker’s Lobby. The name of the officer was not released.
The DOJ stated that shooting her dead without warning was appropriate. Evidently, this is the new standard for murder in our country.
Display at funeral service for Ashli Babbitt, February 21, 2021, photo by Taylor Hansen
The statement concluded, “…the investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber. Acknowledging the tragic loss of life and offering condolences to Ms. Babbitt’s family, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Department of Justice have therefore closed the investigation into this matter.”
Ashli Babbitt was a 35-year-old Air Force veteran who left behind a husband, Aaron Babbitt. The couple ran a pool service business in Spring Valley, California.
On Wednesday afternoon the lead attorney representing the Babbit family, Terry Roberts, issued a press release following the DOJ’s earlier announcement.
Roberts explained, “A press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office declared that “(t)he investigation revealed no evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully committed a violation of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 242… This double-negative is an odd way of explaining the basis for not bringing charges. It plainly glosses over the obvious problems of squaring the decision not to prosecute with the known facts. The actual evidence is this: the officer shot an unarmed woman who was not an immediate threat to him or any Member of Congress. This is inconsistent with any claim of self-defense.”
Roberts then ended his statement by stating the legal team’s decision to proceed with their goal of true justice, “We strongly disagree with the U.S. Attorney’s decision. But we are not dissuaded from our goal of ultimately vindicating Ashli Babbitt’s constitutional rights in the civil arena.”
The shooting death of US Veteran Ashli Babbit was murder, plain and simple. Babbit did not represent a threat. The officer did not warn Babbit and disappeared after he shot her in cold blood. This case is far from over.
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