Air Force to give funeral honors for Ashli Babbitt

The Air Force will provide funeral honors for Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a police officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Judicial Watch, which has represented Babbitt's family, released on Wednesday the correspondence with the Air Force regarding the funeral honors.

Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, was shot and killed inside the Capitol by then-Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. A month later, under the Biden administration, the Air Force denied her military funeral honors, according to a letter released by Judicial Watch.

"Military funeral honors have been denied for the funeral of your wife due to the circumstances preceding her death," the Air Force informed Babbitt's husband, Aaron. Because Babbitt "was fatally shot after having illegally entered the United States Capitol Building" on Jan. 6, 2021, Brian Kelly, an Air Force lieutenant general, said he "determined that military funeral honors would bring discredit upon the Air Force."

In a letter sent July 23 from Judicial Watch Senior Counsel Robert Sticht to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the lawyer wrote that President Donald Trump had granted pardons to Jan. 6 protestors. He also noted that the U.S. settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Babbitt's family earlier last month for nearly $5 million.

Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew L. Lohmeier wrote to Babbitt’s mother, Michelle Witthoeft, and Aaron Babbitt on Aug. 15, saying, "On behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force, I write to extend the offer for Military Funeral Honors for SrA Ashli Babbitt. I understand that the family’s initial request was denied by Air Force leadership in a letter dated February 9, 2021.

"However, after reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death, and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect," he added. "Additionally, I would like to invite you and your family to meet me at the Pentagon to personally offer my condolences."

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement on Wednesday, “Ashli Babbitt’s family is grateful to President Trump, Secretary Hegseth and Under Secretary Lohmeier for reversing the Biden Defense Department’s cruel decision to deny Ashli funeral honors as a distinguished veteran of the Air Force.

“Judicial Watch’s team spent years investigating, litigating, and exposing the truth about Ashli’s homicide. Judicial Watch is proud to have done its part in bringing her family a measure of justice and accountability for Ashli’s outrageous killing. And our battle for justice will continue.”