The events of January 6, 2021, remain one of the most polarizing moments in modern American history. Among its key incidents was the fatal shooting of unarmed Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd as she attempted to climb through a window near the Speaker’s office. Byrd’s actions, captured on video, sparked widespread debate over the use of lethal force, particularly given the visible presence of other officers nearby who could have intervened non-lethally.
While Byrd was cleared of wrongdoing and later promoted to captain, recently leaked internal emails obtained by Just the News have raised serious questions about the treatment he received in the aftermath. These communications reveal significant financial and professional benefits provided to Byrd, some of which appear inconsistent with standard protocol.
Before the shooting, Byrd’s career was already marked by multiple lapses in judgment and violations of protocol:
- Weapon Mishandling: In 2019, Byrd left his loaded service weapon in a Capitol restroom for nearly an hour, leading to a 33-day suspension.
- Use-of-Force Violations: A 2004 investigation found Byrd had recklessly discharged his weapon at fleeing vehicles outside his home, endangering a neighbor and violating Capitol Police policies.
- Professional Misconduct: Byrd was suspended for seven days in 2015 after verbally abusing a police officer at a high school football game, using derogatory language.
Despite these documented incidents, Byrd not only retained his position but was ultimately promoted after the shooting.
Following the January 6th incident, Byrd expressed dissatisfaction with the financial and professional support he was receiving. Internal emails show Byrd wrote to Capitol Police General Counsel Thomas DiBiase in November 2021, questioning why he and his wife were being treated differently than others and expressing frustration over delays in receiving funds.
Byrd received $36,000 in “unrestricted retention funds,” compared to the $3,000 allocated to other officers. When DiBiase mentioned plans to distribute funds through a broader application process for officers injured during the Capitol riot, Byrd angrily responded:
“This was never proposed to us in this manner. Now we’re being grouped in with everyone else. Wow! This is really bad for you all to do this to us.”
Notably, no evidence suggests Byrd sustained injuries on January 6, raising questions about why he was eligible for such financial benefits.
In addition to these funds, Byrd received:
- Security Upgrades: The Capitol Police spent $21,000 on security improvements to his residence.
- Lodging and Protection: Byrd was housed at secure locations, including Joint Base Andrews, with a protective detail.
- GoFundMe Assistance: The Capitol Police reportedly helped Byrd set up a GoFundMe campaign, which raised $164,000.
Byrd also benefited from procedural exceptions. Internal records show that after January 6, Capitol Police leadership allowed him to skip a mandatory Fitness for Duty evaluation, fearing he might fail and lose his ability to carry a firearm.
In another instance, Byrd sought a department-issued shotgun for personal protection but failed the necessary proficiency tests. Capitol Police reportedly worked to assist him in resolving his federal background check issues, despite his failure.
Moreover, a telework agreement signed in July 2021 allowed Byrd to work remotely five days a week. When Byrd failed to comply, he was retroactively placed on administrative leave for the period he missed, avoiding disciplinary action.
Emails from November 2021 reveal Byrd’s discontent with how he was being treated and his insistence on special accommodations. These exchanges, involving Capitol Police leadership, highlight a willingness to prioritize Byrd’s demands, including fast-tracking financial support and addressing personal grievances.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, raised concerns in a letter to Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger. Loudermilk questioned Byrd’s promotion and treatment, referencing past violations, including three Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) referrals that have mysteriously gone missing.
Byrd’s inconsistent record, combined with the revelations of financial and procedural exceptions, has led to speculation about whether his treatment reflects efforts to secure his cooperation in sensitive matters related to January 6. Critics argue these accommodations are a stark contrast to the standard disciplinary actions taken against other officers for similar or lesser infractions.
For example:
- Byrd’s security upgrades and financial support far exceeded what other officers received.
- Capitol Police allegedly instructed fellow officers to donate annual leave to Byrd.
- Despite receiving over $200,000 in combined benefits, Byrd expressed dissatisfaction with the pace and scope of these accommodations.
The leaked emails have reignited public debates over transparency and accountability within the Capitol Police. Supporters of Ashli Babbitt’s family argue that Byrd’s actions and subsequent treatment warrant closer scrutiny, particularly as her husband pursues a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit.
For Byrd, the fallout from the revelations may further complicate an already contentious narrative. While cleared legally, his professional record and the benefits extended to him raise ethical and institutional questions about equity within the Capitol Police.
The treatment of Michael Byrd underscores broader concerns about transparency and accountability within the U.S. Capitol Police. With high-profile incidents like January 6 casting a spotlight on the department, its leadership faces mounting pressure to justify actions that appear to deviate from standard procedures.
As investigations and lawsuits continue, Byrd’s case serves as a critical test of whether accountability and fairness will prevail in an institution tasked with safeguarding democracy. Whether these revelations lead to substantive reforms or are dismissed as political posturing remains to be seen.
5 Comments
Democrat political hacks protecting their own. Had this been a Republican, they would already been in jail for life. Pelosi’s hand very visible in this injustice. IT’S OK TO MURDER IF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT SUPORTER! SEE TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS ALSO PUSHED TO THE BACK PAGES OF ALL MSM NEWS MEDIA.
Pelosi we should know will rot in hell for eternity! But there is also a strong likelihood justice will catch up with her sooner rather than later!
He’s an evil SOB that blew away an unarmed woman 3 tour veteran of the USAF good mother and wife patriot citizen and this scum bag got rewards and promotions for murdering her! I quote his own words; Byrd angrily responded:
“This was never proposed to us in this manner. Now we’re being grouped in with everyone else. Wow! This is really bad for you all to do this to us.”
Let me say this, he will pay for his evil actions and bigoted race card playing tactics here on earth if true justice prevails or for sure when he meets his maker the bottomless pity will be his for eternity!
I watched the video of the shooting and it was cold blooded MURDER. He was not under threat, and he FAKED A CALL that you can hear him on the video saying that there was an armed shooter inside the capitol…. That was AFTER he shot and killed Ashlee Babbit. Even worse, the officers standing on either side of Ashlee DUCKED when they saw Byrd draw his weapon and shoot. The phone call was fake because he was telling the person on the line that someone had a gun and was threatening to shoot. THAT WAS AFTER HE KILLED BABBITT!!!!!! ALL LIES!!!! It’s ON THE VIDEO!!!! The DC police is the most corrupt departments in the United States. I know others who have been stalked and harassed by the DC police and physically assaulted by the police and thrown in jail….they were walking their dogs and the dogs were taken from the woman and beaten as well, 2 small poodles….. I say open the investigation and expose the lies of the DC POLICE and SHOW THE VIDEO NATIONWIDE!!!!!
“….significant financial and professional benefits provided to Byrd, some of which appear inconsistent with standard protocol.” Ya think? The ‘non-investigation’ that deemed this ‘killing’ a “lawful, legal” shoot has to be in the top 10 of ‘Jokes of The Century!’ I posted this to several with BIG microphones, at the time – I never saw any thoughts about how Ashli Babbitt was ‘legally’ murdered:
“….an officer may use deadly force only when the officer reasonably believes that action is in the defense of human life, including the officer’s own life, or the defense of any person in immediate danger of serious physical injury,” What pablum! This officer, in what way, thought his life or the life of another was in danger from some 130 lb UNARMED woman? Below is what anyone schooled in the use of ‘lethal’ weapons would tell you after viewing just the side view of that shooting:
Everyone, but especially anyone “investigating” this shooting, should view the video Laura Ingraham presented on her program. It clearly showed the shot that killed the AF Vet. The shooter is a black man, recently reported to be the same Lt. on the Capitol Police unit that left his loaded, untended, firearm in a Capitol restroom. The following is ‘my theory,’ and if true a possible reason little has been forthcoming about this “shooting.” My thinking is based on being involved with firearms my entire life, including a 20-year career in the Marine Corps. In that video, you initially see the ‘shooter’ pointing his handgun at people to his right that is closest to him. He then swings his arms/aims to the left towards his center and just as he stops that movement the shot is made striking the unarmed Vet (in the neck, not “center mass” as instructed!). There is much to know about what is going on in this sequence. When you play the video in slo-mo, you can see the shooter, even in his initial aim, before starting to change the point of aim, has his trigger finger fully engaged with the BOOM actuator (trigger). This single fact is a violation of proper handgun operation/safety! Unless you are immediately prepared to destroy what you are aiming at, intending to shoot, that finger remains OUTSIDE the trigger guard resting on the slide NOT even the guard. WHY? Because when ON that trigger you are +-5 lbs of pressure from releasing something you CANNOT CALL BACK! The human body pumps out a HEAVY dose of adrenaline when perceiving a possible Life or Death encounter, even folk having experienced such still have to deal with that. Two things are guaranteed, especially for a first-timer, you get tunnel vision and lose fine motor skills (amount of ‘felt’ pressure being applied to a firearm’s trigger), that adrenaline rush that is married to the fight or flight response. I contend that this gunny did NOT INTEND to shoot the woman, and probably was not even aware that he had released the shot. This Lt. was so amped up that swinging that handgun and stopping it was all the extra, unfelt, pressure needed to launch that un-recallable shot! BTW, this is by far NOT the first time an ‘unintentional discharge’ under duress has occurred. To illustrate: Three police officers had a suspect captured, two officers had him face down on the concrete, hands behind his back, applying the cuffs. The third officer standing about 8-10 feet away was pointing her weapon in the direction of the three, her two pals, and the perp, who was now all but in handcuffs. The real “gunnies” of us watching the video we’re waiting for the BOOM! WHY? That officer still pointing toward the action of the three had ‘her BOOM actuator’ fully on that bullet launcher. She also appeared to be still amped up over whatever went down in getting this perp down, and the BOOM came – by God’s Grace, nobody got dead or even shot, the bullet hit the concrete just slightly in front of and to the right of those three still on the ground! Hopefully, that officer only rides a desk unarmed!! Hated phrase, the bottom line for this shooter is, at what point did he think ‘his life was in immediate mortal danger’ that would have induced him to “intentionally” discharge that weapon? That is what every CCW licensee would HAVE TO articulate to a judge if, God forbid, we have to shoot anyone!! Further info has been revealed about this Officer. There is at least one photo of the Officer carrying a load of paperwork(?) in his left arm with his firearm drawn and held in his right hand, walking inside that room, before he shoots the AF Vet – the view indicates his finger is already engaged with the trigger, and his fellow officers in ‘front’ of him are unknowingly in real danger! Ashli Babbitt’s life may have been spared at the expense of a Capitol Police officer’s life if this incompetent officer had stumbled or fallen, or just INADVERTENTLY mashed that trigger. All indicators say that this “officer” is still on the job, ARMED, but at a minimum should ONLY be riding a desk UNARMED, and at best facing the same charges the female officer who mistook her firearm for her taser which resulted in the killing of a resisting perp! As far as ‘believing’ this was any kind of useful investigation of a ‘wrongful killing’ of an unarmed individual, as John Stossel would say, “GIVE ME A BREAK!” As a sad side note, had these two people’s roles been reversed, a white officer killing a black person, as is often said today, “There Would Have Been All Hell To Pay!” As Ripley would say, “BELIEVE IT OR NOT.”