The U.S. Air Force has reversed its earlier decision, announcing it will provide military funeral honors to Ashli Babbitt, the Trump supporter killed by a Capitol police officer during the January 6 riot. Under the Biden administration, Babbitt’s family had been denied the honors, but the Air Force now claims its previous determination was incorrect after reviewing new information about her death.
Babbitt, 35, served in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard before being shot by Capitol Hill police as she climbed through a barricaded door near the House chamber during the mass frenzy to overturn the 2020 election results. The Air Force initially refused honors in February 2021, citing concerns that granting them would “bring discredit upon the Air Force” due to the circumstances of her death. She was the only individual killed by gunfire during the riot.
The decision comes after a nearly $5 million wrongful death settlement paid to Babbitt’s family by the government in July. The Trump administration had previously settled the case, while the Biden administration attempted to contest it. A Capitol police officer who shot Babbitt was cleared of wrongdoing by the U.S. Attorney’s office and the Capitol Police, which stated he acted in self-defense.
The announcement was made public by conservative legal group Judicial Watch, highlighting the ongoing political tensions surrounding the January 6 events.