Woman Shot Dead in U.S. Capitol Building Was 14-Year Air Force Veteran
35-year-old Ashli Babbit hailed as a 'great patriot' after being killed in Washington D.C.
© press
The woman who was shot and killed during protests at the U.S. Capitol Building on Wednesday night has been identified as 35-year-old Air Force veteran Ashli Babbit, according to reports.
Babbit from San Diego has been identified as the woman who was shot dead inside the Capitol when protesters stormed the building and clashed with police.
Ashli Babbit, 35, was shot in the chest on Wednesday afternoon after chaotic scenes broke out in Washington D.C.
She died of her injuries several hours later.
It remains unclear who shot Babbit as the Metropolitan Police Department in DC conducts an investigation into her death.
Babbit's husband confirmed her identity to San Diego news outlet KUSI, revealing she was a 14-year vet who served four tours with Air Force as a "high-level security official."
© press
Her husband said his late wife was a supporter of President Donald Trump and described her as "a great patriot to all who knew her," KUSI reported.
Babbit and her husband owned a business in San Diego with her husband who was not in attendance at Wednesday’s riot, according to Lindsay Watts of Fox 5 D.C.
BREAKING: Family confirms woman shot & killed at Capitol is Ashli Babbit. She owned a business in San Diego w/ her huband who did not come to DC. “I really dont know why she decided to do this,” her mother-in-law tells me. Police have not confirmed circumstances of shooting pic.twitter.com/OOYpNWpMLg
— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) January 7, 2021
“I really don’t know why she decided to do this,” Babbit’s mother-in-law reportedly told Watts.
© press
A video posted on Twitter shows a woman collapsed on the floor as blood pours out of her neck.
Tayler Hansen claimed in a tweet that he was standing next to her when she was shot through the neck.
A young woman was just shot in the neck right besides me in the Capitol Building pic.twitter.com/hLQo4IP8J1
— Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) January 6, 2021
Footage later showed a woman being wheeled out of the Capitol on a stretcher covered in blood and surrounded by officers.
Paramedics can be seen applying pressure to her neck.
GRAPHIC: MSNBC shows video of a person being wheeled out of the Capitol on a stretcher, covered in blood and in very bad shape. pic.twitter.com/W6jKaXDudK
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 6, 2021
A law enforcement official told NPR that the alleged shooter of the woman was a senior U.S. Capitol Police officer and that she was unarmed.
Authorities have not confirmed what led up to the shooting.
Hundreds of rioters stormed the Capitol building Wednesday as Congress tried to certify the 2020 electoral votes.
A mob swarmed the chambers as other rioters fought with police.
The Capitol was put on lockdown while the Madison building was evacuated, according to Politico reporter Melanie Zanona.
