(CNN) Investigators have recommended that prosecutors decline to bring charges against a US Capitol Police officer in the shooting of a pro-Trump rioter who was killed during the insurrection, according to people familiar with the matter.
The shooting of the Capitol rioter, Ashli Babbitt, remains under investigation by the DC Metropolitan Police, the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC, and civil rights prosecutors, a routine process for shootings involving the Capitol Police. A final decision hasn't been made, the people familiar with the probe told CNN.
Justice Department officials could make a final decision in the coming days.
A spokesperson for DC's Metropolitan Police Department said in an email to CNN that "it is irresponsible to make an investigatory assumption or to jump to any conclusion without completing the thorough investigation." CNN has reached out to the US Attorney's Office in DC for comment. The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the recommendation.
Babbitt's fatal shooting on January 6 occurred as a crowd pushed toward a doorway -- barricaded by chairs and guarded by Capitol Police -- that was the entrance to the Speaker's Lobby in the US Capitol building. Babbitt was given medical assistance immediately and taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Daredizzle on February 2nd, 2021 at 02:00 UTC »
The real question is "do you want capital police prosecuted if they kill someone who is actively attempting to break in and kill members of Congress?". It doesn't matter who she voted for or where she got her motives. If anyone's intention is to break in and kill Congress and they've gotten that far, they should be stopped at all costs.
richardelmore on February 2nd, 2021 at 01:15 UTC »
After watching the video of this several times I don't really see how you could come to any other conclusion except that it was justified. Someone in the crowd had already called out that the officer on the other side of the door had his gun out. He fired just one shot to stop her from getting past the barrier. She made a stupid decision and paid for it with her life.
KittenKoder on February 2nd, 2021 at 00:49 UTC »
They waged a war against our nation, they knew the risks. If anything, the police were far to lenient on them.