The internet is deeply divided as reports confirm that the Trump administration has agreed to a nearly $5 million wrongful death settlement with the family of Ashli Babbitt, a military veteran and pro-Trump demonstrator who was fatally shot by Capitol Police during the January 6th riot. Babbitt had traveled from California to Washington, D.C. to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally, a far-right movement disputing the 2020 election results and falsely claiming Donald Trump was the rightful winner. During the riot, Babbitt, who was unarmed, was shot while attempting to climb through a broken window near the Speaker’s Lobby, where members of Congress were being evacuated. Though the Justice Department ruled the shooting legally justified, her family filed a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit, which was reportedly settled for $5 million.
Public reaction remains sharply divided. Some view the settlement as a necessary acknowledgment of loss and justice, while others see it as rewarding participation in a violent insurrection, especially since the officer involved was cleared of wrongdoing. The $5 million payout, reportedly funded through taxpayer dollars from the federal Judgment Fund, has sparked additional controversy online.
Social media users have also drawn comparisons to the George Floyd settlement, highlighting that Floyd’s family received $27 million after a police officer was convicted, while Babbitt’s shooter was exonerated. As debates over justice, accountability, and taxpayer responsibility continue, the case remains a flashpoint in America’s ongoing political and cultural divides.
Public reaction remains sharply divided. Some view the settlement as a necessary acknowledgment of loss and justice, while others see it as rewarding participation in a violent insurrection, especially since the officer involved was cleared of wrongdoing. The $5 million payout, reportedly funded through taxpayer dollars from the federal Judgment Fund, has sparked additional controversy online.
Social media users have also drawn comparisons to the George Floyd settlement, highlighting that Floyd’s family received $27 million after a police officer was convicted, while Babbitt’s shooter was exonerated. As debates over justice, accountability, and taxpayer responsibility continue, the case remains a flashpoint in America’s ongoing political and cultural divides.
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00:00The internet is deeply divided as reports confirm a nearly $5 million wrongful death
00:04settlement has been reached with a family of a woman shot by Capitol Police during the January
00:096th riot. That woman was 35-year-old Ashley Babbitt, a military veteran and pro-Trump
00:15demonstrator, who reports state traveled from California to Washington, D.C. to attend the
00:20Stop the Steal rally, where Trump and others spoke earlier that day. According to Influence Watch,
00:25stopped the Steals, a far-right advocacy group formed to challenge the 2020 presidential election
00:30results, claiming Joe Biden's victory was stolen through widespread voter fraud, and argued that
00:36Donald Trump was the true winner. According to the Justice Department, at the time of the protest
00:41that escalated into a riot, a joint session of Congress convened to certify the results of the
00:46Electoral College vote. But the session was stopped and the USCP began evacuating members of Congress
00:52as people forced their way into the building. Babbitt, who was unarmed at the time of the
00:56shooting, was one of the 2,500 people who reportedly entered the Capitol building in an attempt to
01:01overturn the election results. Ashley was then reportedly shot by a Capitol Police officer while
01:06attempting to climb through a broken window near the Speaker's lobby, where members of Congress were
01:11being evacuated just feet away. After the incident, Trump called the lieutenant involved a thug who killed
01:17great patriot Ashley Babbitt. And according to the Washington Post, Ashley Babbitt's family filed a
01:23$30 million wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit filed by the family stated the US Capitol Police
01:30officer was negligent in killing Babbitt, who was unarmed with her hands in the air when she was shot.
01:35While the Justice Department did conduct their own investigation and reports, the investigation
01:39revealed no evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully committed a
01:45violation. But now it looks like the family has been awarded, as CNN reports the Trump administration
01:50has agreed to pay nearly $5 million to the family of Ashley Babbitt. And now, a former Capitol Police
01:56officer, who was at the Capitol on January 6th, told CNN the $5 million awarded is coming from taxpayer
02:02money, suggesting Donald Trump should pay that $5 million himself, explaining Ashley Babbitt would have
02:08never have been there if Donald Trump would have accepted the election was not stolen. On Instagram,
02:13some users have echoed the question around taxpayers having to foot the bill. As for the rest of the
02:19internet, it's strongly divided over whether the settlement is justice. One Instagram user wrote,
02:25Thank you America, the family of slain January 6th protester Ashley Babbitt is going to receive $5 million.
02:32While another stated, Let's get this straight once and for all, Ashley Babbitt died while committing an
02:37armed insurrection. And this user saw the announcement as a perfect time to remind people of George Floyd's
02:42settlement, but was quickly corrected as another user replied, stating, George Floyd's family got
02:48$27 million after the city admitted wrongdoing and the cop was convicted of murder. Ashley Babbitt's
02:54family is getting $5 million, even though the officer was cleared twice for stopping a violent breach
03:00during an insurrection. But what's your take? Share your thoughts below and follow us everywhere at
03:05what's trending.