The family of Ashli Babbitt, the unarmed Air Force Veteran who as shot and killed by Capitol Police during the January 6 protest, have filed a lawsuit seeking information about the officer who shot her at point blank range.
The suit was filed earlier this month, and is now picking up steam with docket movement in D.C. Superior Court of the District of Columbia and seeks information about the officer as well as video footage of the incident, statements from witnesses, and other information related to the investigation following the killing, new reports revealed on Wednesday.
Legal action comes ahead of an expected lawsuit against Capitol Police for the wrongful death of Babbitt that will reportedly seek more than $10 million and comes after a quick investigation not made public clear the officer of any wrongdoing.
Babbitt, 35, was a 14-year Air Force Veteran who was at the Capitol to protest on January 6. She attempted to crawl through a broken window of a door that led to an anteroom outside the House Chamber.
After an investigation by Capitol Police who have hid everything of this shooting from the public eye, “examined video footage posted on social media, statements from the officer involved and other officers and witnesses to the events, physical evidence from the scene of the shooting, and the results of an autopsy,” officials “determined that there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution,” said the Justice Department after concluding its probe.
Earlier this month, legal watchdog group Judicial Watch filed suit for information regarding the shooting. Specially in the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) lawsuit they sought details about Babbitt’s autopsy from the medical examiner who performed it, as well as similar information from Capitol Police.
“The normal course of action in a police-related shooting is to quickly inform the public of the details – but the lack of transparency in the killing of veteran Ashli Babbitt in the U.S. Capitol is unprecedented and obviously political,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton in a statement. “That Judicial Watch must file a lawsuit for basic information after five months of stonewalling is a scandal.”
The FOIA suit requests “all records, including but not limited to investigative reports, photographs, witness statements, dispatch logs, schematics, ballistics, video footage, and MPD officials’ electronic communications, concerning the January 6, 2021, death of Ashli Babbitt in the Capitol Building and its related investigation.”
The officer who shot Babbitt has yet to be publicly identified, which has led to increased calls from media figures and others to name him.
“Who killed Ashli Babbitt and why is the name being kept secret? I’ve never covered a case where a shooter’s name has been kept secret for any reason in all my years as a reporter. It’s considered public record; at least until now,” investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson wrote in a since-deleted tweet on March 31.
Journalist Andrew Feinberg responded at the time: “Capitol Police have very few public records obligations.”
Attkisson replied, “Interesting; so do they have exceptions/exemptions to the normal practices and expectations? And do you know anybody trying to reveal this information that’s in the public interest? tx.”
Attorneys for the Babbitt family have consistently charged there was no legal justification to shoot her.
“The shooting of Ashli Babbitt on January 6, 2021, by an unidentified U.S. Capitol Police Officer was an unjustified use of deadly force which violated her constitutional rights,” a statement from the family said earlier this spring.
“It is clear from video footage that Ashli did not pose a danger to the officer, or any other person when she was shot. Ashli was unarmed. She did not assault anyone. She did not threaten to harm anyone. There was no excuse for taking her life,” the statement added.
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A person chooses to put themselves in this situation then that’s the chance u take. Her life is no better than officer Sicknick. In fact he was there to help she was there to cause more damage.
Call me a “Grammar Nazi” if you must, but it’s difficult to read this as a serious piece of journalism while stumbling over sophomoric spelling/grammar errors. Please hire an editor to scan & improve what’s being produced!
Natalie
your quite the ignorant person when it comes to facts, the only person that dies in the jan 6 protest was Ashley Babbitt, sidnick died from totally unrelated issues unlike Babbitt, she was protesting and was murdered, executed actually, but you wouldn’t know that because you’re intelligence level is below grade 2, grow up and get an education if your c=gonna comment on things, or atleast do some homework instead of acting like a stupid child