President Donald Trump's administration agreed to pay nearly $5 million to Ashli Babbitt's family to settle a lawsuit brought by the estate of the Trump supporter who was fatally shot by police at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Babbitt's family sought $30 million when it filed a wrongful death lawsuit in early 2024.
It was reported earlier this month that the Trump administration had reached a "settlement in principle" with Babbitt's family.
Citing two sources, The Post reported the settlement amount, of which about a third will to go to attorneys, who include the conservative group Judicial Watch and Alexandria, Virginia, lawyer Richard Driscoll.
Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, was fatally shot while trying to climb through a broken window into the Speaker's Lobby during the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. Her death became a rallying cry for Trump supporters and was frequently mentioned by the president while he was campaigning for his second term.
Babbitt's family's alleged that U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd was negligent in killing Babbitt, who was unarmed. It also claimed Babbitt had her hands in the air when she was shot. The officer said he couldn't fully see her hands or what she was carrying in a backpack.
"Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone," the lawsuit stated, and did not go to Washington "as part of a group or for any unlawful or nefarious purpose."
Trump told Newsmax on March 25 that he was going to look into the lawsuit filed by the Babitt family as well as the Capitol Hill Police officer who shot and killed her on Jan. 6.
In an interview with "Greg Kelly Reports" at the White House, Trump said he wasn't aware that the Department of Justice, as Kelly asserted, was averse to settling the lawsuit. A judge set a 2026 trial date in the $30 million suit.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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