Report: Capitol cop who shot Babbitt is in hiding - 'The story of who he is and why he opened fire remains shrouded in mystery'

[Reptile]

All told, seven people died in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6. But only Ashli Babbitt’s death was directly caused by violence that day. She was a rioter killed by a Capitol Police officer, who fired the only shot by any person during the 4½-hour siege. Yet the story of who he is and why he opened fire remains shrouded in mystery.


More than six weeks after Babbitt succumbed to a single gunshot wound to the upper chest, authorities are keeping secret the identity of the officer who fired the fatal round. They won’t release his name, and the major news media aren’t clamoring for it, in stark contrast to other high-profile police shootings of unarmed civilians.

The secrecy has fueled Internet reports misidentifying the shooter as a Capitol Police special agent previously commended by President Trump for bravery. The false rumors have triggered threats against the officer.


Drawing on interviews with informed sources and available documents, RealClearInvestigations has put together a portrait of the actual shooter and the shooting, which some describe as completely justified and others call murder.

The officer who opened fire on Babbitt holds the rank of lieutenant and is a longtime veteran of the force who worked protective detail in the Speaker’s Lobby, a highly restricted area behind the House chamber, sources say. An African-American, he was put on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation led by the Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia, which shares jurisdiction with the Capitol Police. The Justice Department is also involved in the inquiry.

Report: Capitol cop who shot Babbitt is in hiding | WND | by Around the Web

All told, seven people died in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6. But only Ashli Babbitt’s death was directly caused by violence that day. She was a rioter killed by a Capitol Police officer, who fired the only shot by any person during the 4½-hour siege. Yet the story of who he is...

www.wnd.com

 

[MaverickNH]

In hiding or in protective custody/suicide watch, to keep him from talking with the media? Right now, the narrative is invasion of the Capitol by Armed Mobs of Insurrectionists that resulted in 5 deaths (now 7?), with assassination threats against Pence, Pelosi, etc.

 

[daveyburt]

The video of the shooting/shooter clearly shows he isn't black.
But, whatever....
First post - lower left frame


View: https://twitter.com/bellingcat/status/1347253404012261377

 

[Dennis in MA]

You're all pissing uphill. You need to first change the story that this was a mob that "attacked our country." Until then, you won't get nothing. There is no traction. All you will do is irritate yourselves and others.


All THAT said, here's what I find funny/interesting/fascinating/ironic/whatever: Think of how the media, the electors, the judges and the people felt about allowing black people to vote 50-150 years ago. Poll taxes and mobs at polls and just throwing their votes in the trash.

We all sit and wonder why no one is seeing there is a problem here right now. Folks are shocked that these people rose up. (Not that I condone that - because I don't. But it's not like it's a freaking shocker, is it?). The media and public are just as shocked at folks today screaming electoral shennanigans as they were 120 years ago. "Those fellows over there who are not like us are being silly!"

Look to the plight of the black folks of the US post-Civil War and you'll get a better sense of our fight and how long it will take.

 

[Drix]

We all love stand your ground until someone we like is killed under it.

There might have been better ways to deal with the situation, like cuffing this chick as soon as she got her hands out to crawl through that window, but saying there was a duty to continue retreating is a bit absurd.

Girl played stupid games, she won a stupid prize. No jury in the world is going to convict that guy.

 

[paul73]

because the whole thing was a staged performance, with provocateurs hired to bring crowd into the building. and it worked.

 

[OnTheRoad]

Girl played stupid games, she won a stupid prize. No jury in the world is going to convict that guy.

Obviously he "feared for his safety" from a dangerous unarmed woman on the OTHER SIDE of a narrow window, with fully armed police officers almost within reach behind her. Apparently pepper spray, a taser, an expandable baton just was not enough for the job. Shoot her in the face, she had it coming, right? Continuum of force just goes out the window along with his .40 cal breath mint?

Yeah, a real stupid prize...

 

[SFC13557]

It is and will be used by the left to demonize and attack us for the near future. All of a sudden Portland, Seattle and Minneapolis, etc have dropped off the map. We live in perilous times for our Democracy.

 

[TLB]

The video of the shooting/shooter clearly shows he isn't black.
But, whatever....
First post - lower left frame


View: https://twitter.com/bellingcat/status/1347253404012261377

I disagree. He is not super dark but I find his ethnicity equivocal from that video.

 

[snax]

He shot her because that's what they were instructed to do. He sat in waiting. He could have walked over there and punched her in the mouth.
They needed the "fear for their lives" bs to stick. They needed Trump to have blood on his hands.

 

[Nick Fury]

I disagree. He is not super dark but I find his ethnicity equivocal from that video.

Hey if you can be 1/16 American Indian then he can definitely be negro...

 

[SFC13557]

He shot her because that's what they were instructed to do. He sat in waiting. He could have walked over there and punched her in the mouth.
They needed the "fear for their lives" bs to stick. They needed Trump to have blood on his hands.

correct, if you or I shot an unarmed female crawling thru a window into our dwelling we would be charged with manslaughter.

 

[wilson911]

correct, if you or I shot an unarmed female crawling thru a window into our dwelling we would be charged with manslaughter.

Only if they find the body.

 

[Drix]

Obviously he "feared for his safety" from a dangerous unarmed woman on the OTHER SIDE of a narrow window, with fully armed police officers almost within reach behind her. Apparently pepper spray, a taser, an expandable baton just was not enough for the job. Shoot her in the face, she had it coming, right? Continuum of force just goes out the window along with his .40 cal breath mint?

Yeah, a real stupid prize...

Ok, so you're pro duty to retreat, I find that odd around here but different strokes.

Buddy how about some equal treatment by the media or system. If she was black and the shooter was white the cop's name, address and family members would be all over every news station and news paper. The looting and calls for "justice" would begin. Literally right now Rittenhouse is about to be tried for murder for 1. Putting out a dumpster fire and 2. Shooting people who were attacking him AND armed. The level of hypocrisy in the media is disgusting.

I used to think the motto of the media was "print the news for clicks and views." But the more see the more I realize that we may be in the middle of a communist coup of America.

A better comparison is going to be a store owner killing someone in the BLM riots. Rittenhouse does nothing but retreat and get overrun. The police in this video were not only doing their duty in protecting the people left in the chamber, the entirety of the building was their retreat zone. But lets not forget, this act (no matter what side you are on) was an act of rebellion, and the rules are different.

 

[JonathonEmergency]

I mean it’s sad and everything, but I can think of several things she could’ve done to avoid the situation.

 

[CATI]

Buddy how about some equal treatment by the media or system. If she was black and the shooter was white the cop's name, address and family members would be all over every news station and news paper. The looting and calls for "justice" would begin. Literally right now Rittenhouse is about to be tried for murder for 1. Putting out a dumpster fire and 2. Shooting people who were attacking him AND armed. The level of hypocrisy in the media is disgusting.

I used to think the motto of the media was "print the news for clicks and views." But the more see the more I realize that we may be in the middle of a communist coup of America.

Zero chance that statement is true. If the only difference was her skin tone you would get the exact reaction. Do you think the media supports black conservatives?

 

[Bonesinium]

But lets not forget, this act (no matter what side you are on) was an act of rebellion, and the rules are different.

Perception is reality I guess, even when it isn’t. If you keep telling yourself this was a “rebellion”, it’ll be so.

Here we see another victim of propaganda. It is powerful sadly.

 

[daveyburt]

I disagree. He is not super dark but I find his ethnicity equivocal from that video.

Here's a zoomed capture. Looks like a balding white dude to me.

 

[Rocky Mosasaurus]

We all love stand your ground until someone we like is killed under it.

There might have been better ways to deal with the situation, like cuffing this chick as soon as she got her hands out to crawl through that window, but saying there was a duty to continue retreating is a bit absurd.

Girl played stupid games, she won a stupid prize. No jury in the world is going to convict that guy.

As previously noted, there should be an escalation of force used in these situations. Pepper spray could have been used, a lightweight baton, or even a form tackle and she wouldn’t have made it 2 feet past the entry point.

 

[Lucas McCain]

Member of the protected class shart himself and pulled the trigger. He will never be prosecuted or even identified. Justified murder by the state.

 

[TLB]

Perception is reality I guess, even when it isn’t. If you keep telling yourself this was a “rebellion”, it’ll be so.

Here we see another victim of propaganda. It is powerful sadly.

Yep, any person calling the Jan 6 protest an "insurrection" goes on my "full of shit" list.

 

[Drix]

Perception is reality I guess, even when it isn’t. If you keep telling yourself this was a “rebellion”, it’ll be so.

Here we see another victim of propaganda. It is powerful sadly.

Maybe revolt is a better term. It doesn't matter if you're revolting on the side of good or the side of evil, you're the one trying to effect the change of those in power, that position comes with consequences.

As previously noted, there should be an escalation of force used in these situations. Pepper spray could have been used, a lightweight baton, or even a form tackle and she wouldn’t have made it 2 feet past the entry point.

The official timeline of events:

1:10pm Conflict begins between demonstrators and security. Rioters are grappling with police.
1:46pm Rep Lauria (D) tweets she's being evacuated, claims she hears gunshots. According to video around this timepoint demonstrators begin scaling outside walls of the capitol.
2:33pm Demonstrators have entered the locked down building and are in sanctuary hall.
2:39pm Rep. Welch tweets around this time tear gas has been used/is about to be used in the rotunda.
2:44pm Shots fired in house chamber
2:46pm Rep Burchett tweets "shots fired" presumably in reference to 2:44
2:47pm Demonstrators are *in* the house chamber


Police were beaten with no demonstrator deaths.
Demonstrators forced their way into the secure capitol building with no deaths
Tear gas was deployed in the rotunda with no deaths
All this goes on while security actively orders the demonstrators back.

Why security decided the hill to die on was the house doors when some woman tried to crawl through? Who knows. But if this were a group of democrats in '16 no-one here would have batted an eye with the use of force.

At what point are you all happy with this imaginary duty to retreat being fulfilled?

 

[Dennis in MA]

Here's a zoomed capture. Looks like a balding white dude to me.
View attachment 454726

Isn't that Bernie Sanders?????

 

[snax]

Isn't that Bernie Sanders?????

Probably the same guy that killed Seth Rich

 

[Drix]

Why are you an apologist for the uni party?

I'm not apologizing for anything. I'm asking real simply, on a forum where people hate duty to retreat, why are we pretending like it should be a requirement here? Is it because we sympathize with the person who's been shot and wish to warp the standards to justify our mentality?

 

[HARRYM]

Isn't that Bernie Sanders?????

No Bernie can't shoot because of his mittens.

 

[HARRYM]

Ok I'm asking why do the police have a duty to use alternatives to lethal force when the person is a certain color or belongs to a certain political party? The media and politicians should be throwing a fit over an unarmed woman getting shot during a peaceful protest. They aren't however. I would just like to see fair and equal treatment in the greater sphere of society. If there is a duty to retreat from the peaceful protesters this summer then there is one for the peaceful protesters at the capital.

And yes I have no problem warping my standards to justify my mentality. The left does it constantly.

Based on what we have watched unfold over the last 4 years the answer is yes, Police have a duty to use alternatives to lethal force or they will be charged.

Are we looking at the same narrative, or a different one, if Babbitt was a black female and a BLM activist?

If you have watched everything over the last 4 years you would realize your question was already an answered one.

 

[Dr_Scholl]

I'm not apologizing for anything. I'm asking real simply, on a forum where people hate duty to retreat, why are we pretending like it should be a requirement here? Is it because we sympathize with the person who's been shot and wish to warp the standards to justify our mentality?

All I know is the irony in this thread is unreal.

The same people who were saying "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" when bad things happened to the rioters last summer are now the ones crying about police brutality, de-escalation and trying to out the cop who shot someone on their side of the political spectrum doing something equally stupid.

Like you said, it's funny how people warp the standards to try and justify their own mentality.

 

[SFC13557]

Based on what we have watched unfold over the last 4 years the answer is yes, Police have a duty to use alternatives to lethal force or they will be charged.

Are we looking at the same narrative, or a different one, if Babbitt was a black female and a BLM activist?

If you have watched everything over the last 4 years you would realize your question was already an answered one.

If Babbitt was a Black Black Lies Matter supporter invading a State House in any State do you think she would have been shot? No way! The Cops would have been ordered to stand down. Remember the invasion of the Wisconsin State Capitol building by the Teachers and Liberals during the revolt/recall against GOV.Walker? They trashed the State House which was widely covered by the lamestream media in a positive lens.

 

[HARRYM]

If Babbitt was a Black Black Lies Matter supporter invading a State House in any State do you think she would have been shot? No way! The Cops would have been ordered to stand down. Remember the invasion of the Wisconsin State Capitol building by the Teachers and Liberals during the revolt/recall against GOV.Walker? They trashed the State House which was widely covered by the lamestream media in a positive lens.

Exactly, they would have been charged. In the Taylor case the boyfriend SHOT thru the door. Police returned fire and she was killed. One Cop was charged with first-degree wanton endangerment That Cop, Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Department in June.

Rittenhouse was pursued like an animal by a mob hell bent on killing him. He shot and has been charged with 2 counts of murder.

What it seems to me over the last 4 years is ANTIFA, BLM and Liberals can riot and kill anytime they want and can't be shot.

Trump supporters not only can be shot on sight they likely collect a bounty on each Trump supporter they shoot.