SAN DIEGO, CA – The husband and estate of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government. The lawsuit argues that the shooting by a Capitol police officer was unjustified, as Babbitt was unarmed at the time.
According to the complaint filed in the Southern District of California, Ashli Babbitt traveled from San Diego to Washington, D.C., to attend the Women for America First (Save America) rally on January 6, 2021. The rally, which featured then-President Donald Trump and prominent conservative speakers, was held at the Ellipse, just south of the White House. The complaint emphasizes Babbitt’s love for her country and her intention to show support for President Trump’s policies.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of the events of January 6, 2021, when Babbitt and other supporters of then-President Trump stormed the Capitol Building. This action was in response to Trump’s claims of a stolen 2020 presidential election. Babbitt was part of the group that forced their way to a hallway outside the “Speaker’s Lobby,” near the House of Representatives chamber, as Congress was certifying the 2020 election results.
Footage from the incident shows members of the crowd breaking into the barricaded doors, with shouts indicating the presence of a gun. Babbitt’s death has since become a focal point in discussions about the events of that day, with her family now seeking legal recourse for what they argue was an unjustified use of force. The case adds to the complex legal aftermath of the January 6 insurrection, touching on issues of law enforcement conduct, protest, and political violence.