The U.S. government has reportedly agreed to pay nearly $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by police during the January 6 Capitol attack in 2021, as multiple reports noted on Monday.
According to the Washington Post, about a third of that amount will go to the attorneys representing Babbitt’s family. The agreement was said to have been reached during the Trump administration.
Tom Manger, the former Capitol police chief, expressed disappointment over the settlement during a statement to CBS, opposing the Justice Department’s choice.
This settlement follows a $30 million lawsuit filed by Babbitt’s family the previous year.
Responses from Babbitt’s family lawyers and the Department of Justice were not available immediately. A comment was also sought from her former attorney.
Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, was shot while attempting to climb through a broken door at the Capitol. At that moment, she was unarmed.
The lawsuit alleges that an officer, who was not in uniform, failed to assess the situation properly and did not issue any warnings before firing. It claims negligence on the part of the Capitol police, stating they should have realized that officers “are likely to act in dangerous or incompetent ways.”
“Ashli posed no threat to anyone’s safety,” the lawsuit asserts.
In a previous interview, the officer who shot Babbitt described his action as a “last resort,” indicating he was unsure if anyone climbing through the window was armed when he fired.
In January, President Trump had ordered a pardon for those charged in connection with the riot, aiming to dismiss cases against over 1,500 individuals.
