Black officer who shot Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt went ‘into hiding’ after torrent of racist abuse

The Capitol Police officer defended his decision to shoot Ashli Babbitt, saying it saved ‘countless lives’

The Washington police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter who became a martyr in right-wing circles after dying during the 6 January Capitol riot, says he had to go into hiding once his name was leaked.

Lt. Michael Byrd, a 28-year veteran of the US Capitol police is Black, and said he faced a torrent of racist abuse once his identity made its way onto conservative media sites.

“They talked about killing me. Cutting off my head. Very vicious and cruel things,” he told NBC News in an interview on Thursday. “There were some racist attacks as well. It’s all disheartening, I know I was doing my job.”

The officer defended his decision to shoot the woman, arguing it was necessary to protect the roughly 80 members of Congress and their staff who were sheltering nearby.

“If they get through that door, they’re into the House chamber and upon the members of Congress,” he added. “I know that day I saved countless lives.” The Capitol Police cleared Lt Byrd of wrongdoing earlier this week, declining to release his name for fear of his safety.

“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 who forced their way into the U.S. Capitol and to the House Chamber where Members and staff were steps away,” the agency said, announcing the results of an internal probe on Monday.

After reviewing footage of the incident, the Justice Department reached a similar conclusion in April.

“Based on that investigation, officials determined that there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution,” the agency said at the time.

Ms Babbitt’s family, meanwhile, maintains she was the victim of an “ambush,” and is preparing a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against Lt Byrd.

Since the shooting, Ms Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, has become a martyr in certain conservative circles. Former president Donald Trump has called her an “innocent, wonderful, incredible woman.”

“If that happened to the ‘other side,’ there would be riots all over America and yet, there are far more people represented by Ashli, who truly loved America, than there are on the other side,” Mr Trump said earlier this month. “The Radical Left haters cannot be allowed to get away with this. There must be justice!”