DOJ Expected to Settle $30M Lawsuit Over Ashli Babbitt's Death

The Department of Justice has reached a preliminary settlement agreement with the family and estate of Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran and Trump supporter fatally shot by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed in 2024 and seeking $30 million in damages, alleges Babbitt was unjustly killed as she attempted to enter the Speaker’s Lobby through a broken window. The settlement, which is expected to be finalized within weeks, was confirmed by both Babbitt family attorneys and Judicial Watch, the advocacy group representing her estate. The terms of the settlement were not immediately disclosed, but the agreement will likely resolve the matter before it proceeds to trial. Lt. Byrd was cleared of wrongdoing after an internal investigation found he acted in self-defense and to protect members of Congress. The settlement follows renewed attention to Babbitt’s death and legal actions since Donald Trump’s return to office.