Ashli Babbitt to receive full military honors four and a half years later

The US Air Force has offered full military funeral honors to Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, who was killed by Capitol Police on January 6, 2021.

Babbitt, who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates as a security forces airwoman, was the sole fatality on January 6th. She was one of hundreds of unarmed Trump supporters who entered the Capitol building that day after being welcomed in by police. When Babbitt raised herself up into the opening of a door sidelight leading to the Speaker’s Lobby, Lt. Michael Byrd shot her. She was taken to Washington Medical Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She was 35.

The Biden Justice Department concluded that Byrd had not acted criminally, and the Biden Air Force denied Babbitt full military funeral honors. Active service members or those who are honorably discharged are eligible for funeral honors, including a three-volley salute.

“On behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force, I write to extend the offer for Military Funeral Honors for SrA Ashli Babbitt,” Undersecretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier wrote to Babbitt’s family on August 15th. “After reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death, and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect.”

Retired General Mike Flynn praised Lohmeier for his decision.

“There is no better example of how a leader is supposed to act, than right here in this letter,” Flynn said. “May Ashli Babbitt now Rest In Peace and her family gain some measure of solace for the wonderful person she was and the light of truth she brought to each of us.”

In May, the Trump administration agreed to a $5 million settlement with Babbitt’s family after they sued the DOJ for wrongful death. They originally asked for $30 million.

Trump: Babbitt was murdered by a ‘thug’

Trump said in March he was a “big fan” of Babbitt.

“I’m a big fan of Ashli Babbitt, okay, and Ashli Babbitt was a really good person who was a big MAGA fan, Trump fan, and she was innocently standing there – they even say, trying to sort of hold back the crowd,” he told Greg Kelly in an interview. “And a man did something unthinkable to her when he shot her, and I think it’s a disgrace. I’m going to look into that.”

In February 2023, Trump slammed then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for defending Byrd, who he said was “just doing his job.”

“I totally disagree with the Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, in that the Police Officer 'Thug,' who has had a very checkered past to begin with, was not just 'doing his job' when he shot and killed Great Patriot Ashli Babbitt at point blank range. Despite trying to keep him anonymous, shielded, and protected, this MISFIT proudly showed up on NBC Fake Nightly News 'bragging' about the killing. He was not a hero but a COWARD, who wanted to show how tough he was. ASHLI BABBITT WAS MURDERED!!!”