The U.S. Capitol Police said on Monday an internal investigation found no wrongdoing by the police officer who shot and killed San Diego’s Ashli Babbitt during the siege of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Officials said in a news release it determined the officer’s conduct was “lawful and within Department policy.”
“The actions of the officer in this case potentially saved Members and staff from serious injury and possible death from a large crowd of rioters,” the Capitol Police said.
Babbitt, 35, was a former Air Force veteran from Ocean Beach who embraced far-right conspiracy theories on social media, including Trump’s false assertions that his 2020 presidential election loss was due to fraud.
Video footage from the siege showed that Babbitt being shot while climbing through the busted-out window of a door to the Speaker’s Lobby.
Officers had barricaded the doorway with furniture to stop the crowd from entering the Speaker’s Lobby and the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The officer, who has not been publicly identified out of fear for his safety, will not face internal discipline.
“This officer and the officer’s family have been the subject of numerous credible and specific threats for actions that were taken as part of the job of all our officers: defending the Congress, members, staff and the democratic process,” the Capitol Police said.
The announcement on Monday followed a Department of Justice announcement in April that stated the officer would not face criminal prosecution.
Babbitt’s family previously filed a lawsuit seeking records identifying the officer. An attorney representing the family also previously indicated he would be filing a wrongful death and excessive force lawsuit in connection with the shooting.
More than 570 people face criminal charges related to the attack, which resulted in at least five deaths and temporarily sent lawmakers into hiding as they sought to formalize Joe Biden’s presidential victory.
Updated at 2:15 p.m., Monday, Aug. 23, 2021
Reuters and City News Service contributed to this article.