Killing of Ashli Babbitt

Last updated

Killing of Ashli Babbitt
Part of the law enforcement response to the January 6 United States Capitol attack
DateJanuary 6, 2021
Time2:44 pm (UTC-5)
Location United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates 38°53′23″N77°00′40″W / 38.88972°N 77.01111°W / 38.88972; -77.01111
Type Killing by a law enforcement officer
CauseDeadly force used by officer guarding members of Congress from the Capitol insurrection rioters
January 6 United
States Capitol attack
2021 storming of the United States Capitol DSC09156 (50826223403) (cropped to gallows).jpg
Timeline • Planning
Background
2020 presidential election
and other causes
Related groups and persons
Participants
Notable people
Organizations
Law enforcement response
Aftermath
Biden inauguration
Investigations and charges
Corporate actions
Reactions
Impeachment and 2024 presidential election

On January 6, 2021, Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot during an attack on the United States Capitol. [1] [2] [3] She was part of a crowd of supporters of then U.S. president Donald Trump who breached the United States Capitol building seeking to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Babbitt's attempt to climb through a shattered window beside a barricaded door into the Speaker's Lobby was thwarted when she was shot in the left shoulder by a United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer. [7] [8] [9] [10] After a USCP emergency response team administered aid, Babbitt was transported to Washington Hospital Center, where she died. [11] [12] The USCP deemed the shooting was "lawful and within Department policy" and "potentially saved Members (of Congress) and staff from serious injury and possible death". [13] [14]

Background

Attempts to overturn the 2020 election

After Joe Biden won the 2020 United States presidential election, [15] then-incumbent Donald Trump pursued an aggressive and unprecedented [16] effort to overturn the election, [17] [18] with support and assistance from his campaign, his proxies, his political allies, and many of his supporters. These efforts culminated in the United States Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, the day set for Congressional certification of the Electoral College vote count.

Personal life and viewpoints of Ashli Babbitt

Babbitt, 35 years old at the time of her death, was raised in a mostly apolitical family near San Diego, California. [19] In 2004, she enlisted in the United States Air Force, where she served 12 years; while on active duty, she met her first husband, Staff Sgt. Timothy McEntee. Babbitt was deployed at least eight times by 2014, [20] including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar; from 2010 onward, she served in the Air National Guard. Six of her years in service were spent in a "Capital Guardians" unit of the District of Columbia Air National Guard, whose mandate is to defend the Washington D.C. region and quell civil unrest. [21] [19] In 2014 Babbitt served as a "mentor" to less-experienced airmen about to go on their first deployment. [22] She reached the rank of senior airman, a "relatively low rank" for a 12-year veteran according to The Washington Post . [21] [23] [24] [25]

From 2015 to 2017, near the end of her service, she supplemented her income by working as security at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Maryland. There, she met Aaron Babbitt, who would become her second husband. She filed for divorce from her first husband in 2018. [19]

In 2016, she faced criminal charges of reckless endangerment in Maryland after she allegedly repeatedly smashed her SUV into a vehicle being driven by a former girlfriend of Aaron Babbitt. [19] [26] Citing ongoing harassment, the victim obtained multiple judicial orders forbidding Ashli any contact with her. [26]

In 2018, Babbitt moved back to California with her second husband and they purchased a pool servicing business. She worked there with her brother and several other relatives. [19]

Babbitt voted for Barack Obama at least once: asked by another Twitter user on November 15, 2018 if she had "supported Obama the same way [she] supported Trump?" she replied "[...] yes I did [...] I think Obama did great things... he jacked some shit up... but I think he did do a lot of good... at a time where we needed him. I voted for him!" [27] She later registered as a Libertarian. [21]

According to her brother, she became frustrated with such issues as the number of homeless people in San Diego and the difficulties of running a small business. [19] As she struggled professionally, Babbitt came to embrace the radical right. On July 1, 2019, a judge issued a $71,000 judgment against her pool business for failing to repay a loan; around the same time, she supported Donald Trump and started following and promoting conspiracy theories. [21] In November 2019, Babbitt tweeted about Pizzagate, a conspiracy theory that senior Democrats were operating a child sex-trafficking ring. [28] By February 2020, Babbitt publicly supported QAnon, a broader far-right conspiracy theory that expanded Pizzagate's claims by adding the concept of a worldwide cabal of Satan-worshipping child abusers whom Trump is secretly fighting. [29] [30] [21] One customer recalled having stopped doing business with the company in 2020 after Babbitt unexpectedly delivered a political rant over the telephone. [31]

Babbitt was highly active on social media through her Twitter handle @CommonAshSense. She seldom posted original content: most of her posts were retweets, frequently of messages from conservative and right-wing figures like Michael Flynn and Jack Posobiec, and conservative news sites like Right Side Broadcasting. [32] According to Marc-André Argentino, a researcher studying QAnon and other extremist groups, Babbitt was not "a leader or major influencer within the QAnon movement", and was not involved in selling QAnon-themed merchandise. She had nonetheless tweeted regularly about the conspiracy theory since February 2020. Babbitt posted about 50 times a day on Twitter; on election day, she posted 77 times. [33]

After the election, Babbitt rejected the results and began supporting the Stop the Steal movement. [28] On January 1, 2021, Babbitt announced plans to travel to DC for January 6. [28]

A central belief among QAnon believers is that Trump was planning a massive sting operation on the "cabal", with mass arrests of thousands of cabal members to take place on a day known as "The Storm". [9] [34] On January 5, 2021, the day before the assault on the Capitol, Babbitt tweeted:

Nothing can stop us....they can try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours....dark to light.... [35]

On January 6, prior to her arrival at the Capitol, Babbitt retweeted messages by Trump lawyer and QAnon promoter L. Lin Wood demanding that Vice President Mike Pence, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts resign and that charges be brought against Pence and Rosenstein. [36] [37] [38]

Capitol attack

This section is an excerpt from Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election § DoABbtt.[ edit ]

Starting in December, Trump repeatedly encouraged his supporters to protest in Washington, D.C., on January 6 in support of his campaign to overturn the election results, [39] telling his supporters to "Be there, will be wild!". [40] The Washington Post editorial board criticized Trump for urging street protests, referring to previous violence by some Trump supporters at two rallies and his statement during a presidential debate telling the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by". [41] Multiple groups of die-hard Trump supporters staged rallies in Washington on that day: Women for America First; the Eighty Percent Coalition (also at Freedom Plaza) (the group's name refers to the belief that approximately 80% of Trump voters do not accept the legitimacy of Biden's win); and "The Silent Majority" (a group organized by a South Carolina conservative activist). [39] [42] George Papadopoulos and Roger Stone, ardent allies of Trump, headlined some of the events. In addition to the formally organized events, the Proud Boys, other far-right groups, and white supremacists vowed to descend on Washington on January 6, with some threatening violence and pledging to carry weapons. [39] Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio said that his followers would "be incognito" and would "spread across downtown DC in smaller teams". [42]

As the certification process was underway, Trump gave a speech encouraging his supporters to march to the Capitol. Many of them did, whereupon they joined other protesters already gathered in the area and violently breached and stormed the Capitol, eventually entering the Senate chamber as well as numerous offices. The Congressional proceedings were suspended, the legislators were taken to secure locations, and Nancy Pelosi was evacuated. [43]

Speaker Pelosi was evacuated from the Capitol complex. [44] It was reported that Vice President Pence had been also evacuated, but he remained in a secure location inside the Capitol. [45] [46]

Rioters occupied the empty Senate chamber while federal law enforcement officers defended the evacuated House floor. [47] [48]

Capitol police were overrun by the rioters. [49]

Shooting during the attempted breach of the Speaker's Lobby

At 2:44 p.m., law enforcement were trying to "defend two fronts" to the House Chamber, and "a lot of members [of Congress] and staff that were in danger at the time". [50] [51] Pipe bombs had been discovered outside the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, [52] [53] and Capitol Police officers had been warned that many attackers were carrying concealed weapons. [54]

Babbitt, wearing a Trump flag as a cape, was among several dozen rioters who approached the doors to the Speaker's Lobby, adjacent to the House chambers. [7] [55] Three uniformed officers were posted outside the Lobby where they were threatened by the crowd. One member of the mob yelled, "Fuck the Blue" (blue being a reference to the police). One officer guarding the doors told the others "They're ready to roll", and the three officers moved away from the barricaded doors leading to the Speaker's Lobby. [7] No longer impeded by police, rioter Zachary Jordan Alam smashed a glass window beside the doors. [13] [56] On the other side of those doors, many lawmakers and staff were being evacuated by Capitol Police, [7] but some were trapped in the House balcony. [57]

After "he's got a gun" was yelled several times when Lieutenant Michael Byrd aimed his weapon, [58] Babbitt, hoisted by two men, [19] began to climb through the shattered window. She was then shot in the left shoulder [10] by Lieutenant Byrd [11] [7] and fell back among the other protesters. [19] Babbitt had been warned not to proceed through the window: one witness recalled that "A number of police and Secret Service were saying 'Get back! Get down! Get out of the way!'; [Babbitt] didn't heed the call." [59]

Many rioters immediately began to leave the scene, making room for a Capitol Police emergency response team to get in and administer aid, and Babbitt was transported to Washington Hospital Center where she later were declared dead. [7] Some media reports described Babbitt as "unarmed" at the time of the shooting, [60] [61] but according to a January 11, 2021 crime scene examination report by the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences, the police "recovered a 'Para Force' folding knife in Ms. Babbitt's pants pocket" after she was shot. [62] [63] [64] [65] [66]

U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin, a witness to Babbitt's attempted breach, said that Lieutenant Byrd "didn't have a choice" but to shoot, and that his action "saved people's lives". [50] [67]

The shooting was recorded on several cameras, and footage was widely circulated. [68] John Earle Sullivan, among those who recorded footage of the shooting, was arrested for his role in the attack. [69] Zachary Alam was also arrested for his role in the attack. [70] [71] MSNBC aired live video of her body being rushed past the camera on a stretcher, outside the Capitol building. [72]

Investigation

Following the routine process for shootings by Capitol Police officers, the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia and the United States Department of Justice investigated Babbitt's death and made a determination that the shooting was "lawful and within Department policy". [13] [73] [3] Upon clearing Byrd, USCP released a press statement saying his action "potentially saved Members and staff from serious injury and possible death". [14]

Public remarks by the officer involved

After being cleared of wrongdoing, Byrd made his name public in an August 2021 interview for NBC News. [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] He said his name had been previously revealed in right-wing media and online forums and that he had received racist (Byrd is African-American) and violent threats, causing him to remain in hiding for several months. Looking back on his January 6 experience, Byrd said: "Once we barricaded the doors, we were essentially trapped where we were. There was no way to retreat. No other way to get out. If they get through that door, they're into the House chamber and upon the members of Congress." He stated that he had pulled the trigger as a "last resort" after the mob of protesters ignored his repeated orders to get back, and that he had no idea at that moment that Babbitt was unarmed and was a woman. Byrd commented: "I know that day I saved countless lives. I know members of Congress, as well as my fellow officers and staff, were in jeopardy and in serious danger. And that's my job". [60]

Reactions

Though they deplored Babbitt's death shortly after the event, few among Republican Members of Congress and conservative media initially claimed any wrongdoing from law enforcement, or suggested that it warranted a backlash. Gradually, though, efforts were made to suggest that Babbitt was a martyr, or at least a patriot who was unjustly killed. [79] Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and Mark Levin were sympathetic to Babbitt, with Levin understating Babbitt's actions and claiming that she had just been "walking around with the rest". U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) said Babbitt had been "executed", later doubling down on that comment and adding that the police officer had been "lying in wait" and demanding to know his name. This drew a rebuke from representative Liz Cheney, who accused Gosar of "[smearing] the men and women who defended us". The Washington Post reported in June 2021, "increasingly, key elements of the conservative movement [were] suggesting Ashli Babbitt was a martyr". [79] According to The New York Times , these included far-right extremists and white supremacists, [80] some of whom also viewed Babbitt as a "freedom fighter". [80] Democratic strategist Mark Burns said this was a "dangerous development for a Republican Party with members [28] increasingly comfortable pressing for and defending political violence". [81] Both he and David Frum in The Atlantic compared these efforts to the Nazi glorification of Horst Wessel. [82]

Some QAnon supporters, including Lin Wood, have said that Babbitt is still alive and that her death was a "false flag" operation. [28] [83]

In October 2021, Trump recorded a video message arguing that "There was no reason Ashli should've lost her life that day. We must all demand justice for Ashli and her family". [84] [85] [1]

Russian president Vladimir Putin condemned the shooting of Babbitt, describing it as an "assassination". [86] Ernesto Araújo, the foreign minister of far-right Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, called for an investigation into Babbitt's death. [87]

Legacy

Babbitt's mother, Micki Witthoeft, became politically active following her daughter's death. In July 2021, she appeared at a Donald Trump rally where she was introduced by Paul Gosar and received a standing ovation from the crowd. During the rally, Trump expressed condolences to Witthoeft and acknowledged that Babbitt had died trying to salvage his presidency. Witthoeft later said in an interview that she was writing letters of support to January 6 arrestees and commented that her daughter had "made the ultimate sacrifice to bring attention to a stolen election. Half the country loves her and half the country hates her. It's weird to have your child belong to the world". [88] Babbitt's husband told reporters that he does not want violence done in his wife's name, after being asked about comments made by Michael Braynard, the organizer of the Justice for J6 rally, which was dedicated in part to Babbitt. [89]

Babbitt's name and the circumstances of her death have been invoked by various groups. Shortly after her death, Babbitt's name and image were used widely by extremist groups on social media groups, such as Parler and Telegram, with some using white nationalist and antisemitic themes. [90]

In February 2022, a group of American truckers attempting to emulate the Canadian truckers protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates told reporters that they were also protesting Babbitt's death along with issues such as COVID-19 restrictions and critical race theory. [91]

In May 2023, during a round of tit for tat sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Byrd was one of 500 Americans to have financial and travel restrictions imposed on them. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the list included: "those in...law enforcement agencies who are directly involved in the persecution of dissidents in the wake of the so-called storming of the Capitol." [92] [93]

Wrongful death lawsuit

On January 5, 2024, Judicial Watch filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Babbitt's husband, Aaron Babbitt, and her estate, [94] seeking $30 million in damages from the federal government. [95] The lawsuit is funded by Crowdfunding, which raised $462,000 for the lawsuit. Having been filed almost 3 years after Babbit's death, the lawsuit missed the two-year statute of limitations imposed by the Federal Tort Claims Act. But the lead attorney for the plaintiff, Terry Roberts, believes that the two-year statute of limitations set by the Federal Tort Claims Act might not apply either because the statute of limitations set by state law trumps the limitations set in the federal law, or because COVID restrictions that were in effect during the time of the death should give relief with regards to the statute of limitations. [96]

See also

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References

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  2. ↑ Wise, Alana (August 23, 2021). "Capitol Police Officer Who Fatally Shot Rioter Ashli Babbitt Will Not Be Disciplined". NPR.
  3. 1 2 Wild, Whitney; Duster, Chandelis (August 23, 2021). "US Capitol Police says shooting of January 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt was 'lawful'". CNN. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Opinion | Jan. 6 Was Worse Than We Knew". The New York Times. October 2, 2021. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
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  6. ↑ Lozada, Carlos (October 8, 2021). "Adam Schiff points to a second insurrection – by members of Congress themselves – In his memoir ["Midnight In Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could"], the House Intelligence Committee chair argues America barely passed Trump's "stress test" of American democracy". The Washington Post . Retrieved October 9, 2021.
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  9. 1 2 Beckett, Lois; Ho, Vivian (January 9, 2021). "'She was deep into it': Ashli Babbitt, killed in Capitol riot, was devoted conspiracy theorist". The Guardian . Archived from the original on January 9, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Adams, Cheryle (April 7, 2021). "Medical examiner's statement" (PDF). Judicial Watch. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt formally exonerated". FOX 5 DC. August 20, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Ashli Babbitt: The US veteran shot dead breaking into the Capitol". BBC. January 8, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 Perez, Evan; Polantz, Katelyn; LeBlanc, Paul (February 2, 2021). "Investigators recommend no charges for US Capitol Police officer accused of killing pro-Trump rioter during insurrection, sources say". CNN.
  14. 1 2 "USCP Completes Internal Investigation into the January 6 Officer-Involved Shooting" (Press release). United States Capitol Police. August 23, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2022. The actions of the officer in this case potentially saved Members and staff from serious injury and possible death from a large crowd of rioters who forced their way into the U.S. Capitol and to the House Chamber where Members and staff were steps away. USCP Officers had barricaded the Speaker's Lobby with furniture before a rioter shattered the glass door. If the doors were breached, the rioters would have immediate access to the House Chambers. The officer's actions were consistent with the officer's training and USCP policies and procedures.
  15. ↑ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". Associated Press . Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  16. ↑ Multiple sources:
    • Kumar, Anita; Orr, Gabby (December 21, 2020). "Inside Trump's pressure campaign to overturn the election". Politico . Trump's efforts to cling to power are unprecedented in American history. While political parties have fought over the results of presidential elections before, no incumbent president has ever made such expansive and individualized pleas to the officials who oversee certification of the election results.
    • Sanger, David E. (November 19, 2020). "Trump's Attempts to Overturn the Election Are Unparalleled in U.S. History". The New York Times . President Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election are unprecedented in American history and an even more audacious use of brute political force to gain the White House than when Congress gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency during Reconstruction.
  17. ↑ Multiple sources:
  18. ↑ Multiple sources:
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Barry, Ellen; Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholasn; Philipps, Dave (January 7, 2021). "Woman Killed in Capitol Embraced Trump and QAnon". The New York Times . Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  20. ↑ Lee, Capt. Renee (February 15, 2014). "DC Air National Guard airmen depart for deployment". dvidshub.net. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved June 26, 2022. Since joining the Air Force eight years ago on active duty, McEntee has deployed seven times. This deployment with the 113th SFS will be her eighth total deployment and her second since joining the DCANG.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Jamison, Peter; Natanson, Hannah; Cox, John Woodrow; Horton, Alex (January 10, 2021). "'The storm is here': Ashli Babbitt's journey from capital 'guardian' to invader". Washington Post. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  22. ↑ Lee, Capt. Renee (February 15, 2014). "DC Air National Guard airmen depart for deployment". dvidshub.net. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved June 26, 2022. [T]hanks to deployment veterans [...] the newer airmen are in good hands and have the opportunity to seek mentorship and advice from those who have deployed on numerous occasions such as Senior Airman Ashli McEntee. Since joining the Air Force eight years ago on active duty, McEntee has deployed seven times. This deployment with the 113th SFS will be her eighth total deployment and her second since joining the DCANG. While preparing for deployment here and at Eglin AFB, she also found herself in a mentoring position to the younger and newer airmen for whom this will be their first time "down range." "The newer airmen have been coming to us and asking about the living conditions, the weather, the gear, the schedule, how we work as teams, the hours we work," McEntee said. "As we have a large amount of first timers deploying with us, I think we can offer comfort and knowledge."
  23. ↑ Figueroa, Teri; Riggins, Alex (January 7, 2021). "Family says woman fatally shot in U.S. Capitol was Ocean Beach resident". The San Diego Union-Tribune . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  24. ↑ Losey, Stephen (January 7, 2021). "Woman shot and killed at Capitol was security forces airman, QAnon adherent". Air Force Times .
  25. ↑ Mitchell, Ellen (January 7, 2021). "Woman fatally shot by Capitol Police during riot was 12 year Air Force veteran". The Hill .
  26. 1 2 Biesecker, Michael (January 3, 2022). "San Diego's Ashli Babbitt a martyr? Her past tells a more complex story". Los Angeles Times.
  27. ↑ "The Journey of Ashli Babbitt". Bellingcat . January 8, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 Dodds, Io (January 6, 2022). "Trump's 'manufactured martyr': How Ashli Babbitt's death was weaponised by the MAGA movement". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022.
  29. ↑ Zadrozny, Brandy; Gains, Mosheh (January 7, 2021). "Woman killed in Capitol was Trump supporter who embraced conspiracy theories". NBC News. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  30. ↑ Spocchia, Gino (January 8, 2021). "Who was Ashli Babbitt, the QAnon supporter shot dead in Capitol riot?". The Independent. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  31. ↑ Gotfredson, David (January 8, 2021). "Local man fired Ashli Babbitt after political rant over the telephone". CBS8. San Diego, California.
  32. ↑ Haroun, Amzi (January 7, 2021). "'Nothing can stop us': Slain Trump supporter tweeted conspiracy theories and her devotion to Trump in days before her death". Business Insider. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  33. ↑ Beckett, Lois; Ho, Vivian (January 9, 2021). "'She was deep into it': Ashli Babbitt, killed in Capitol riot, was devoted conspiracy theorist". guardian.com. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  34. ↑ Francis, Nathan (January 7, 2021). "Ashli Babbitt, Trump Supporter Killed In Capitol Riot, Was QAnon Believer Who Tweeted 'The Storm Is Here'". Inquisitr . Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Ashli Babbitt tweeted 'the storm is here' ahead of a violent protest
  35. ↑ Trotta, Daniel; Borter, Gabriella; Allen, Jonathan (January 7, 2021). "Woman killed in siege of U.S. Capitol was veteran who embraced conspiracy theories". Reuters . Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  36. ↑ Mordock, Jeff. "Woman killed at Capitol identified as Air Force veteran". Washington Times .
  37. ↑ Keller, Aaron (January 6, 2021). "Pro-Trump Woman Shot and Killed at U.S. Capitol Retweeted Attorney Lin Wood's 'Must Be Done' List Before She Died". Law & Crime . A Twitter account linked to Babbitt, which was reviewed extensively by Law&Crime Wednesday night, indicates that Babbitt was a staunch QAnon adherent who retweeted dozens of conspiracy-theory-laden missives originally posted by Georgia attorney L. Lin Wood.
  38. ↑ "Woman shot dead in US Capitol was Air Force veteran, Trump supporter". Straits Times . AFP. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  39. 1 2 3 Lang, Marissa J. (December 30, 2020). "Jan. 6 protests multiply as Trump continues to call supporters to Washington". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  40. ↑ Shaw, Adam (December 19, 2020). "Trump promises 'wild' protest in Washington DC on Jan 6, claims it's 'impossible' he lost". Fox News. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  41. ↑ Editorial Board (December 30, 2020). "Trump is inciting chaos on Jan. 6, both in and outside the Capitol". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  42. 1 2 Jackson, David; Brown, Matthew (January 2, 2021). "'Wild' protests: Police brace for pro-Trump rallies when Congress meets Jan 6 to certify Biden's win". USA Today . Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  43. ↑ Feldman, Josh (January 6, 2021). "Trump Supporters Breach Capitol Building as Violent Clashes Continue". Mediaite. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  44. ↑ "Video: Jan. 6 Rioters Searched For Speaker Pelosi After She Was Evacuated From Capitol". CBS News Bay Area. February 10, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  45. ↑ Taiyler Simone Mitchell (June 16, 2022). "New photos show Mike Pence hiding in a secure location after he refused to evacuate the Capitol on Jan. 6 — and the moment he saw Trump's video praising the rioters". Business Insider. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  46. ↑ Dorning, Mike; Dillard, Jarrell; Willmer, Sabrina (June 16, 2022). "Jan. 6 Panel Gives Chilling Details of Pence's Escape From Mob at the US Capitol". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  47. ↑ Macias, Amanda; Mangan, Dan (January 6, 2021). "U.S. Capitol secured hours after pro-Trump rioters invade Congress". CNBC. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  48. ↑ McEvoy, Jemima (January 6, 2021). "DC Protests Live Coverage: Entire Capitol Now On Lockdown As Protesters Enter The Building". Forbes . Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  49. ↑ "Capitol police were overrun, 'left naked' against rioters". April 28, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  50. 1 2 Cathey, Libby; Thorbecke, Catherine; Winsor, Morgan; Sanchez, Rosa (January 7, 2021). "Congressman recalls moment woman was shot inside Capitol building". ABC News . Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  51. ↑ Mascaro, Lisa; Fox, Ben; Baldor, Lolita C. (April 10, 2021). "'Clear the Capitol', Pence pleaded, timeline of riot shows". AP NEWS. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  52. ↑ Barr, Luke (January 5, 2022). "Still a Jan. 6 mystery: Who placed the pipe bombs the night before the Capitol attack?". ABC News. Retrieved June 24, 2022. About 7:30 p.m., the figure placed one outside the Democratic National Committee, grainy surveillance video released by the FBI shows. The suspect then walks through the residential streets behind the Capitol and places another pipe bomb outside the Republican National Committee.
  53. ↑ Michael Balsamo [Associated Press] (January 5, 2022). "A year after Jan. 6, FBI still hunting for pipe bomber and other insurrection suspects". PBS Newshour. PBS. Retrieved June 24, 2022. Only 17 hours later — and just before the U.S. Capitol was stormed by a sea of pro-Trump rioters — were the pipe bombs discovered. It quickly became one of the highest-priority investigations for the FBI and the Justice Department.
  54. ↑ Tan, Rebecca; Jamison, Peter; Leonnig, Carol D.; Flynn, Meagan; Cox, John Woodrow (January 6, 2021). "Trump supporters storm U.S. Capitol, with one woman killed and tear gas fired". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  55. ↑ Jouvenal, Justin; Leonnig, Carol D. (January 7, 2021). "Ashli Babbitt was shot during chaotic moments in the Capitol". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  56. ↑ Parker, Don (March 11, 2021). "DC-area man indicted. He was standing next to Ashli Babbitt when she was shot in Capitol". WJLA-TV.
  57. ↑ "'We Were Trapped': Trauma of Jan. 6 Lingers for Lawmakers". U.S. News & World Report. January 5, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  58. ↑ King, Ledyard (February 10, 2021). "Harrowing new footage shows how close the mob got to Pence, Congress and staff during Jan. 6 assault". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  59. ↑ 'It could have been me but she went in first' | Pro-Trump rioter saw woman shot in Capitol. WUSA9. January 7, 2021. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2022– via YouTube.
  60. 1 2 Schapiro, Rich; Schecter, Anna; Damberg, Chelsea (August 27, 2021). "Officer who shot Ashli Babbitt speaks after months in hiding: 'I saved countless lives'". NBC News. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  61. ↑ Turley, Jonathan (August 28, 2021). "Justified shooting or fair game? Shooter of Ashli Babbitt makes shocking admission". The Hill.
  62. ↑ "BREAKING: Ashli Babbitt Shooting Documents UNCOVERED". Judicial Watch . October 15, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2023. A DC Department of Forensic Sciences crime scene examination report filed January 11, 2021, indicated that among Babbitt's personal possessions was a 'Para force' folding knife. [...] According to the investigators they, 'recovered "a para force" folding knife in Ms. Babbitt's pants pocket.'
  63. ↑ "Knife (Ashley Babbitt)". Judicial Watch. November 12, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  64. ↑ "Investigative Report Concerning the Use of Force (Glock 22 .40 caliber service pistol) by United States Capitol Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd" (PDF). Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia Internal Affairs Bureau. June 16, 2021. p. 240, 524. Retrieved March 30, 2023. Recovered a 'Para Force' folding knife in Ms. Babbitt's pants pocket;
  65. ↑ Sharlet, Jeff (June 22, 2022). "January 6 Was Only the Beginning". Vanity Fair . Retrieved March 30, 2023. There's a knife in her pocket.
  66. ↑ Neumann, Ann (March 30, 2023). "'I see this as a global fascist moment': author Jeff Sharlet on interviewing far-right Americans". The Guardian . Retrieved March 30, 2023. They would say she's unarmed, but it's not true. She was carrying a knife. There's a photo of [Babbitt's knife] on the cover of the book. You could say, well, it's a small knife. Really? That knife is plenty big enough.
  67. ↑ Melendez, Pilar; Bredderman, William; Montgomery, Blake (January 8, 2021). "'Didn't Have a Choice': Vet Was Climbing Through Broken Window When She Was Shot Dead". The Daily Beast . Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  68. ↑ Wagner, Dennis; Daniels, Melissa; Hauck, Grace (January 7, 2021). "California woman killed during Capitol riot was a military veteran and staunch Trump supporter". USA Today . Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021. Babbitt served in the Air Force under the married name of Ashli Elizabeth McEntee ... she had been a staunch Trump supporter
  69. ↑ Ross, Jamie (January 15, 2021). "Man Who Filmed Ashli Babbitt Shooting at Capitol Charged With Joining Riot". The Daily Beast. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  70. ↑ Lohr, Ty; Yabor, Eric (February 2, 2021). "Who is the man the FBI arrested in Lancaster County after Capitol attack?". Lancaster Online. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  71. ↑ Keller, Aaron (December 22, 2021). "Man Accused of Smashing Glass Near Ashli Babbitt Shooting Scene Suggests Derailing Plea Talks Because of Alleged Error in Entirely Separate Case". Law and Crime. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  72. ↑ Woman Rushed Out Of Capitol Building On A Stretcher, "Covered In Blood" | MTP Daily | MSNBC , retrieved March 18, 2024
  73. ↑ Viswanatha, Aruna; Gurman, Sadie; Hobbs, Tawnell D. (February 1, 2021). "Officer Who Shot Capitol Rioter Ashli Babbitt Shouldn't Be Charged, Investigators Advise". The Wall Street Journal.
  74. ↑ Sprunt, Barbara (August 26, 2021). "The Police Officer Who Fatally Shot Ashli Babbitt At Jan. 6 Riot Reveals His Identity". NPR. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  75. ↑ Breuninger, Kevin (August 25, 2021). "Officer who shot pro-Trump rioter Ashli Babbitt to reveal identity in NBC News interview". CNBC. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  76. ↑ Kornick, Lindsay (August 26, 2021). "Officer who shot Ashli Babbitt gives first public interview to NBC News". Fox News. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  77. ↑ "Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt reveals identity in NBC interview, says 'I saved countless lives' on Jan. 6". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  78. ↑ "NBC to air interview with Capitol officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt". The Independent. August 25, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  79. 1 2 Blake, Aaron (June 18, 2021). "The slow-building conservative effort to turn Ashli Babbitt into a martyr". The Washington Post . ISSN   0190-8286. OCLC   2269358. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021.
  80. 1 2 Goldman, Adam; Dewan, Shaila (January 23, 2021). "Inside the Deadly Capitol Shooting". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021. Since Ms. Babbitt's death, far-right extremists and white supremacists have claimed her as a martyr and a 'freedom fighter', even reproducing her image on flags and with anti-Semitic imagery. Many have demanded the release of the name of the officer who shot her.
  81. ↑ Burns, Max (July 12, 2021). "Trump makes Ashli Babbitt, killed in the Capitol riot, into a martyr. Why that's so dangerous". NBC News. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  82. ↑ Frum, David (July 13, 2021). "There's a Word for What Trumpism Is Becoming". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  83. ↑ Dowd, Katie (January 11, 2021). "The far-right propaganda machine doesn't know what to do with Ashli Babbitt". San Francisco Chronicle .
  84. ↑ Benen, Steve (October 12, 2021). "Trump's rhetoric about Ashli Babbitt takes an unsettling turn". MSNBC.com. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  85. ↑ Cooper, Anderson (October 12, 2021). "Trump makes video honoring fatally shot Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt" . Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  86. ↑ "Putin likens Russian crackdown to arresting Capitol rioters". Associated Press . June 14, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  87. ↑ Araújo, Ernesto [@ernestofaraujo] (January 7, 2021). "-Há que lamentar e condenar a invasão da sede do Congresso ocorrida nos EUA ontem. -Há que investigar se houve participação de elementos infiltrados na invasão -Há que deplorar e investigar a morte de 4 pessoas incluindo uma manifestante atingida por um tiro dentro do Congresso" (Tweet) (in Portuguese). Retrieved January 12, 2021– via Twitter.
  88. ↑ Schwartzman, Paul; Dowsey, Josh (July 30, 2021). "How Ashli Babbitt went from Capitol rioter to Trump-embraced 'martyr'". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  89. ↑ Watts, Lindsay (September 13, 2021). "'I don't want it': Husband of Ashli Babbitt discourages violence at Sept. 18 rally". FOX 5 DC. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  90. ↑ Fischer, Jordan (July 20, 2021). "'Who shot Ashli Babbitt?' | Inside the effort to make a January 6 martyr". WUSA 9 ABC. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  91. ↑ Slisco, Aila (February 22, 2022). "Truckers readying D.C. convoy want "justice for Ashli" Babbitt, shot Jan. 6". Newsweek. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  92. ↑ Baker, Peter (May 21, 2023). "Russia's Latest Sanctions on U.S. Officials Turn to Trump Enemies". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  93. ↑ "Foreign Ministry statement on new personal sanctions on US citizens". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation . May 19, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  94. ↑ Richards, Zoë (January 5, 2024). "Jan. 6 participant Ashli Babbitt's husband, conservative group file a wrongful death suit against U.S. government". NBC News. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  95. ↑ Golgowski, Nina (January 8, 2024). "Ashli Babbitt's Family Seeks $30 Million Against U.S. Over Jan. 6 Death". HuffPost. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  96. ↑ Gotfredson, David (February 20, 2024). "Ashli Babbitt's wrongful death lawsuit still in limbo". KFMB-TV.
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