Capitol Police officer who killed Ashli Babbitt on January 6 speaks publicly for first time: ‘I know that day I saved countless lives’ (video repaired)

By
Jim W. Dean and Gordon Duff
-
14
2237

VT: We would gladly see ten thousand Ashley Babbitts chopped to pieces rather than lose one of the 13 real heroes we lost today.

(CNN)The veteran US Capitol Police officer who killed pro-Trump rioter Ashli Babbitt went public Thursday, revealing his identity and defending his actions on January 6.

“I know that day I saved countless lives,” Lt. Michael Byrd said in an interview with “NBC Nightly News.” “I know members of Congress, as well as my fellow officers and staff, were in jeopardy and in serious danger. And that’s my job.”

The officer fatally shot Babbitt in the shoulder while she climbed through a window that led into the Speaker’s Lobby, adjacent to the House chamber, while lawmakers were evacuating.



“I tried to wait as long as I could,” Byrd said of the incident in the doorway. “I hoped and prayed no one tried to enter through those doors. But their failure to comply required me to take the appropriate action to save the lives of members of Congress and myself and my fellow officers.”

The Justice Department said in April that Byrd wouldn’t be criminally charged in connection with Babbitt’s death, and the US Capitol Police said last week that he wouldn’t face any internal discipline. He could still face civil litigation from Babbitt’s family, which has threatened a lawsuit.

A Washington native who has been in law enforcement for 28 years, Byrd said he followed his training and repeatedly yelled at the mob, telling them to stop their advance toward the House chamber.
He said he was “taking a tactical stance” with his gun drawn while the mob approached. “You’re ultimately hoping that your commands would be complied with. Unfortunately, they were not.”

‘I just want the truth to be told’

In the seven months since the insurrection, former President Donald Trump and his allies have attempted to frame a narrative around Babbitt’s death and turned her into a martyr in right-wing circles.

ATTENTION READERS

We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed
In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.

About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

14 COMMENTS

  1. Gordon Duff, Senior Editor August 27, 2021 at 9:57 am
    We have had enough childishness and delusion. God help any of them if more of us from VT were there. There have been hundreds of instances where police fire into crowds…this would be the first time they were there to protect the United States from the hillbillies who would turn this place into a fascist hell.

    We beat the Nazis once…we can keep doing it and if it comes down to a shooting war against the morons and hillbillies, so be it.

    Man you are Nazis and the sad thing is you are even worse, can’t you see what US have been doing across the world since the end of WWII

    • I forgot to mention this, I am not defending Babbitt or who or what she is/was but man sure as hell she can’t be worse then all those politicians police was protecting. If there is any justice on this world as it is police and army would stand with people against governments and that goes for every country in this world. So no he had no right to kill Babbitt because whatever she was, she was a product of a sick society those politicians created. So tell me Gordon Duff how can you kill someone for what they are, when you are the person who helped make that person what he is?

  2. vhervey, I take from your comments you may be of the African American persuasion. If you are, or even if you aren’t, I don’t blame you or any other African American for having a massively heavy chip on your shoulder. I know I would. And that’s from having enough empathy for the African American experience, and its subsequent fallout, to realize that sublimated or repressed rage would and should be a natural condition for those who have had to be reminded of it every day and hour of their existence.
    Most “white” people have never experienced prejudice to the degree imposed on African Americans. Granted most all Americans, and people in general, have some slavery somewhere way back there in the family tree, practically all of them have no institutional memory of it, and therefore carry none of its psychic baggage.
    My point is; maybe not all cop shootings are unjustified.
    P.S.
    Turning the prejudice around in the other direction won’t solve the problem. It only intensifies it.

  3. The question everyone overlooks on the incident in question is: Who is the guy smashing in the doors and windows? Who made the inner sanctum accessible to the unwashed non-washingtonians. If that guy could prove to be a Trump supporter no question but the Don takes the rap for Babbitt’s killing. If he had been taken out I would not demur. The entire premise of a false-flag lies in his unmasking. If however, he happens to be part of a false-flag provocation – which curiously the FBI now denies occurred, then serious questions remain unanswered. There was only one rioter on view in that clip and he – as the saying goes, was on a mission.

  5. Hypocrisy…

    When it’s us “NEEEE-Grows” that are murdered by White Supremacist Race Soldiers, it’s “Back The Blue”, “…well, if he had only followed the Cop’s orders, he or she would still be alive”, “The only thing that matters is what’s in the COP’S head at the time”, “He had to make a split-second decision”, “There wasn’t enough evidence for the District Attorney to get a conviction”, “He MUST have been committing SOME crime”, “He’s a criminal because of his jaywalking conviction, so the Police couldn’t take any chances”, “She shouldn’t have had her kids in the car when the Cop SHOT at her”, etc., etc., etc.

    “Hello, Massa! Bottom rail on top NOW…”

  6. We have had enough childishness and delusion. God help any of them if more of us from VT were there. There have been hundreds of instances where police fire into crowds…this would be the first time they were there to protect the United States from the hillbillies who would turn this place into a fascist hell.

    We beat the Nazis once…we can keep doing it and if it comes down to a shooting war against the morons and hillbillies, so be it.

  7. Two questions for you…….#1. Did you feel this same way about Breona Taylor’s murder?
    #2. Is Kyle Rittenhouse innocent?

  9. I disagree with this in the strongest terms. “Insurrectionists” is not some deliberate mislabeling. The protestors became insurrectionists when they illegally entered the Capitol by force with the very deliberate intention to stop the constitutionally prescribed verification of the state’s presidential electors certificates. They did so at the behest of a man who used this and other means, most notably illegal use of the US Justice Department, in an attempted coup, so that he could remain in power. There is no excuse or hiding from that fact. As for the “communists” that populate the Congress, they got more votes. If you don’t like it, organize and run better candidates! Have a nice day.

  10. RIP to all people got killed no matter who when and how, but VT

    “VT: We would gladly see ten thousand Ashley Babbitts chopped to pieces rather than lose one of the 13 real heroes we lost today.”

    Sorry to burst your bubble VT, but US has no heroes in army, they are nothing but murderers and kids killers for the Israel and the rich, as it was reported here so so many times. US Government, US Army has no honor no integrity no nothing, honor is just something you say to your self to feel better. The day whole US admits those facts to themselves maybe that day new better world will be born but until then keep telling yourself the same mantra honor and integrity but it won’t stick.

  11. The thing that has not left my mind, since that day, is that Babbit was an AF veteran. Allegedly from security. I was just a fuel truck driver on the flight line with a basic security clearance, and I knew that there are no go zones. The security police barracks were next door, and everyone knew what no go zones were. It is engrained in the minds of every active duty person, that certain places are no go zones. That is the place where there are no questions, no warnings, and no regrets. And if Babbitt was trained in security, I find it incredulous that she would think the halls of congress were not one of those zones. There is no blame on this mans actions, and the sadness is lessened by knowing that the person who did go through that window,…had been given extraordinary forehand knowledge of the consequences of her actions. There is no way she didn’t know. If her back story is true. No way. The fault of this death lies at the feet of the agitators. And they must be held accountable. Disgusting.

    • If only, IF ONLY, the hesitation of the use of force displayed by capitol police that day, were emulated by the daily police on the streets of our country, we would have an opportunity to be proud of ourselves. We are not, and they do not. 1,000 people per year shot dead by police on the streets, and that does not include the rough rides, “suicides”, bodies on the beach, hanging in jail, beatings, “overdoses”, found in ditches, and kneeling on necks. There is a mountain of observation that suggests, the restraint that day was extraordinary. And anyone who says otherwise is a liar and a fool.

    • One thing though; Ashly Babbitt was probably operating under a false belief and lie that a successful outcome was already a done deal; an inside job. She probably thought the guard that shot her was on her side, and just pretending to resist; at least until it was too late.

Comments are closed.