Donald Trump’s administration has agreed to pay $5 million to the family of a rioter who was killed during the violent insurrection of the US Capitol.
Ashli Babbitt, a supporter of Donald Trump, was fatally shot by police when she tried to storm the House of Representatives on January 6, 2021.
She was among thousands of Republicans who descended on the US Capitol in an attempt to halt the certification of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election amid false allegations of voter fraud.
Babbitt, 36, an Air Force veteran from San Diego, California, was unarmed when she was hit with a single bullet by an officer while being hoisted into the Speaker’s lobby.
According to the Washington Post, the Justice Department has agreed to pay a principal of $5 million (£3.7 million) to the Babbitt estate and the conservative activist group Judicial Watch.
The settlement follows a $30 million (£22.4 million) lawsuit Babbitt’s family filed in court last year.
However, the terms of the agreement are not public and it is not clear whether it includes an acknowledgement of wrongdoing.
Tom Manger, the outgoing Capitol Police Chief, told CBS News he was "extremely disappointed" with the decision.
He said more than 140 officers were assaulted by mobsters during the worst attack on the Capitol since the War of 1814.
In a statement to staff, Mr Manger added: "This settlement sends a chilling message to law enforcement officers across our nation — especially those who have a protective mission like ours.”
A man did something unthinkable to her when he shot her and I think it's a disgrace
Michael Byrd, the police officer who shot Babbitt dead, has also been cleared of any wrongdoing.
He previously defended aiming his gun at Babbitt, saying lawmakers and security personnel "were essentially trapped" and had "no way to retreat".
Since returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump has issued pardons for more than 1,500 Capitol riot defendants, including hundreds accused of assaulting police.
He also fired the federal prosecutors who handled those cases.
In March, Mr Trump told Newsmax that he is "a big fan of Ashli Babbitt" and that she was "innocently standing there" when she was killed.
"And a man did something unthinkable to her when he shot her, and I think it's a disgrace," he said.
