Ashli Babbitt: A Detailed Look at Her Death During the January 6 Capitol Attack
Washington D.C. — Ashli Babbitt was a 35-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran from San Diego who traveled to Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021, to join supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Babbitt had served in the Air Force and Air National Guard and was known for her political activism. On the afternoon of January 6, she became one of the most discussed figures connected with the violent breach of the United States Capitol when she was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer while attempting to enter a restricted area of the building.
The attack began that day after a large protest near the White House. As Congress was meeting to certify the 2020 election results, a crowd of Trump supporters overwhelmed barricades and security at the Capitol. Chaos and violence spread through the building as lawmakers evacuated and staff sought shelter.
Identity of the Officer Who Fatally Shot Babbitt
Officials initially did not publicly name the officer involved in the shooting. Later reporting identified the officer as Lieutenant Michael L. Byrd of the U.S. Capitol Police. Byrd publicly confirmed his role in the shooting, explaining that he fired to stop the breach and to protect members of Congress and others inside the Capitol.
Byrd said he issued repeated verbal warnings to rioters to stop and stay back before firing the shot that struck Babbitt. According to his account, he believed his actions were necessary to defend human life and prevent rioters from gaining access to the secure area near the House chamber. Federal prosecutors and a Capitol Police internal investigation later concluded that Byrd’s use of force was lawful and within department policy.
The Shooting: What Happened
At approximately 2:44 p.m., rioters had smashed the glass beside a barricaded door leading to the Speaker’s Lobby, a hallway just outside the House chamber where lawmakers and staff were sheltering. Babbitt was among a group attempting to climb through the broken window beside that door when Lt. Byrd fired a single shot. Video footage shows Babbitt climbing toward the gap at the same moment Byrd took aim.
Babbitt was struck in the shoulder and immediately fell back. She was carried out on a stretcher and taken to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Investigators later found a folding knife in her pocket, though she was not wielding it at the time of the shooting.
Officials said that if the rioters had breached that door, they would have had a direct path to the House chamber where lawmakers were being evacuated, potentially endangering many lives. The internal Capitol Police review and the U.S. Attorney’s Office both declined to bring charges against Byrd, citing insufficient evidence that he acted outside the scope of his legal authority.
Timeline – January 6, 2021
Morning:
Babbitt attends the pro-Trump rally near the White House where President Trump speaks to a large crowd of supporters urging them to challenge the election certification.
Early Afternoon:
The crowd marches toward the U.S. Capitol as Congress meets to certify the 2020 election results.
Around 1:00 p.m.:
Rioters breach security perimeters and begin entering the Capitol building, forcing evacuations.
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.:
Violence inside the Capitol escalates. Rioters push through doorways and corridors leading toward the House chamber.
2:44 p.m.:
Ashli Babbitt tries to climb through a broken window beside a barricaded door leading to the Speaker’s Lobby. Lt. Michael L. Byrd fires one shot, striking her.
Late Afternoon:
Babbitt is transported to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Evening:
Lawmakers reconvene later that night to finish the certification process.
Babbitt’s death was the only fatal shooting during the Capitol breach and has remained a focal point in ongoing debates about law enforcement use of force and the events of January 6. In 2025 the U.S. Air Force agreed to grant her military funeral honors, and the U.S. government reached a settlement with her family in a wrongful death lawsuit, underscoring the continued complexity and controversy surrounding her death.
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