The U.S. government is settling a lawsuit filed over a Capitol police officer’s fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt, a supporter of President Donald Trump, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
Judicial Watch, an advocacy group, filed the $30 million wrongful-death suit in 2024 on behalf of Babbitt’s estate and her husband, Aaron Babbitt.
His comments came after a federal judge held a hearing in the case in a Washington courtroom.
After the hearing, Judge Ana C. Reyes ordered both sides to submit a status report by May 6, the court’s docket shows.
Babbitt, 35, an Air Force veteran who lived in the San Diego area, came to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, to support Trump, who was still serving his first term in office. At the time, the president and many of his supporters were alleging that his loss in 2020 may have been a result of a “rigged” election.
The proposed settlement follows several actions that Trump and his new administration have taken regarding Jan. 6 cases since his return to the White House early this year.
Dozens of police and protesters were hurt during the Capitol breach. No police officers died that day, despite initial reports to the contrary.
Videos and photos show Babbitt wearing a Trump flag tied around her neck like a cape, as many other Trump supporters did that day.
A government watchdog agency recently confirmed that FBI informants mingled with the crowd that day, both inside and outside the Capitol, amid lingering questions over whether agent provocateurs incited the violence. Past government officials, including former FBI director, Christopher Wray, have denied such accusations.
House Republicans announced earlier this year that a new subcommittee would reopen probes into what really happened on Jan. 6.The Epoch Times received no immediate response to requests for comment from the Justice Department, Judicial Watch, and Capitol police.