WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has agreed to pay just under $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit that Ashli Babbitt’s family filed over her shooting by an officer during the U.S. Capitol riot, according to a person with knowledge of the settlement.
The person insisted on anonymity to discuss with The Associated Press terms of a settlement that have not been made public.
Justice Department spokespeople and two attorneys for the Babbitt family didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, was unarmed when she was shot by the officer.
Thousands of people stormed the Capitol after President Donald Trump spoke to a crowd of supporters at his Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has agreed to pay slightly less than $5 million to resolve a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Ashli Babbitt’s family regarding her shooting by an officer during the U.S. A. Someone with knowledge of the settlement claims that there was a Capitol riot. In order to speak with The Associated Press about the terms of a settlement that have not been made public, the individual insisted on anonymity.
Babbitt’s estate filed a $30 million federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., last year, which would be settled. On Jan. Babbitt was shot on June 6, 2021, by a Capitol police officer when she attempted to enter the Speaker’s Lobby through a broken window of a barricaded door.
She was shot by an officer who was exonerated by the U.S. S. . District of Columbia attorney’s office, which came to the conclusion that he acted in both self-defense and in support of congressional members. The officer was also cleared by the Capitol Police.
The terms of the settlement have not been revealed in open court documents. Babbitt’s estate and Justice Department attorneys informed a federal judge on May 2 that they had reached a settlement in principle but were still finalizing the terms before signing a final agreement.
Messages seeking comment from the Justice Department and two Babbitt family lawyers were not immediately answered.
The officer shot 35-year-old San Diego Air Force veteran Babbitt without a weapon. Before firing, the plainclothes officer allegedly failed to defuse the situation and gave her no orders or warnings, according to the lawsuit.
Additionally, the suit accused the Capitol Police of negligence, arguing that the department should have been aware of the officer’s “propensity to behave in a dangerous or otherwise incompetent manner.”. “.”.
According to the lawsuit, Ashli did not endanger anyone’s safety.
According to the officer’s televised interview, he fired as a “last resort.”. He claimed that when he pulled the trigger, he had no idea if the person leaping through the window was armed.
Following President Donald Trump’s speech to an audience of supporters at his Jan. 6. The “Stop the Steal” demonstration close to the White House. In the attack, over 100 police officers suffered injuries.
In January, on his first day back in the White House, Trump pardoned, commuted, or ordered the charges against all 1,500 people accused of riot-related crimes to be dropped.
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