Federal Prosecutor Opens Excessive Force Investigation Into the Death of Ashley Babbitt: Report

Melody Black, from Minnesota, visits a memorial setup near the Capitol Building for Ashley Babbitt in Washington, on Jan. 7, 2021. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Michael Sherwin, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said that his office has started a federal, excessive force investigation over the shooting and killing of former U.S. Air Force veteran Ashley Babbitt in the Capitol on Jan. 6.

His civil rights section will lead the prosecution, which is being investigated by D.C. police and the FBI.

A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed to The Epoch Times: “The Metropolitan Police Department is conducting an investigation into the officer involved shooting that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. This is routine, standard procedure whenever an officer deploys lethal force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is overseeing the investigation.”

On Jan. 6, Trump supporters marched on foot to the Capitol after President Donald Trump gave a speech near the White House. Trump thanked his supporters for being present and listed a series of voting irregularities that happened in different states, alleging there was widespread fraud. Rudy Giuliani, the president’s attorney, also gave a speech listing evidence for the alleged fraud.

Babbitt entered the Capitol building with a group of protesters, including left-wing activist John Sullivan.

Protesters storm the Capitol Building in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Ahmed Gaber/Reuters

A man in a widely circulated video of the shooting of U.S. Air Force veteran Ashley Babbitt (also spelt Ashli), 28-year-old Thomas Baranyi, later gave a recount of what happened.

A reporter from CBS affiliate WKRG interviewed him after he stormed the Capitol with protestors and Babbitt.

A social media selfie photo shows Ashli Babbitt. Twitter/Ashli Babbitt

“We had stormed into the chambers inside and there was a young lady who rushed to the windows,” Baranyi said “A number of police and Secret Service were saying ‘get back, get down, get out of the way.’ She didn’t heed the call.”

He said that he tried to pull her back when she got fatally shot.

“And as we kind of raced up to grab people and pull them back, they shot her in the neck, and she fell back on me and started to say she was fine. It’s cool. And then she started moving weird and blood was coming out of her mouth and neck and nose,” Baranyi said.

“Just make sure people know, because this cannot stand anymore. This is wrong. They don’t represent anyone. Not Republican, Democrat, Independent, nobody. And now they’ll just, they’ll kill people,” Baranyi added.

Tony Mazziott, Babbitt’s grandfather, told ABC News’ “Good Morning America” that she was an “excellent patriot” and a “loving person.”

“She served time in the military and she’s passionate about everything, particularly Donald Trump for some reason,” he said. Family members said Babbitt served more than a decade in the Air Force.