In a move that could bring closure to the contentious wrongful death lawsuit surrounding the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt during the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot, the Trump administration has reportedly reached a preliminary settlement agreement with Babbitt’s family, attorneys revealed on Friday.
Representatives for Ashli Babbitt’s estate and the Justice Department informed a federal judge in Washington that they have come to a settlement in principle, though the specific details are still under negotiation, and no final agreement has yet been signed. As of now, the settlement terms remain undisclosed to the public.
The legal battle began last year with Babbitt’s estate filing a substantial $30 million lawsuit over her death, which occurred when she attempted to climb through a broken window of a barricaded door that led to the Speaker’s Lobby in the Capitol on that chaotic day.
Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Capitol Police concluded that the officer responsible for the shooting acted lawfully and in self-defense, ultimately clearing him of any wrongdoing.
At the time of the incident, Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, was shot by a police lieutenant as she attempted to breach the door while others in the mob advanced toward the House chamber. Babbitt was not carrying a weapon.
The lawsuit contends that the officer, who was plainclothed at the time, neglected to de-escalate the situation and failed to issue any warnings or commands before discharging his weapon. The lawsuit further accuses the Capitol Police of negligence, claiming they should have been aware of the officer’s tendency to “behave in a dangerous or otherwise incompetent manner.”
“Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone,” the lawsuit asserts, suggesting the shooting was unwarranted.
In a public statement, the officer involved justified his actions by saying he acted as a “last resort,” noting that he was uncertain whether the person coming through the window was armed.
Neither Capitol Police officials nor attorneys for Babbitt’s estate provided immediate comments regarding the news on Friday.
Previously, in January, President Donald Trump had granted pardons, commutations, or case dismissals for over 1,500 people who were charged with crimes associated with the Capitol riot.