Lester Holt to interview Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt

[hookaleft]

NBC News’s Lester Holt will interview the Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the network announced.

The interview, set to air Thursday, will be the first time the officer publicly reveals his identity since the events of that day. It will also come days after Capitol Police formally exonerated the officer after an internal review found that the officer’s actions were justified.

Babbitt, 35, was one of five people who died as a result of the riot which saw supporters of former President Trump storm the Capitol as Congress prepared to certify the Electoral College results for the 2020 election.


Babbitt was shot as she tried to enter the Speaker’s Gallery just off the House floor. A group of people had slammed through a window in the gallery, which Babbitt was trying to climb through.

*snip*

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/569384-lester-holt-to-interview-capitol-police-officer-who-shot-ashli

[OnDoutside]

1. Not sure this is a good idea.

[jimfields33]

2. The facts need to come out. Regardless of her politics, she was a human being.

[hlthe2b]

4. Does he deserve to face threats to his life and possible assasination for the benefit of conspiracy

theorists? Once he is identified, the threats to his life are not going away.

[jimfields33]

7. I'm sure I wouldn't give the interview, but he's volunteering to do so.

[48656c6c6f20]

5. When terrorist are bombed and shit by our military

Do we make them go on Lester Holt? Why does this terrorist rate that? She wanted to do harm to the USA the officer did his job and was cleared. Move on.

[MichMan]

15. Who is it that is making him go on against his will?

[OnDoutside]

6. And you think Republican voters will get to see the interview, presented

in a balanced way ? I don't think so. I don't see an upside for the cop.

[Catherine Vincent]

8. The facts are already out

??

[Kingofalldems]

9. The facts are on video.

Not sure what other facts you are talking about.

[Elessar Zappa]

13. The facts are out.

The officer has been determined to have acted with appropriate force. Case closed.

[Tommy Carcetti]

16. Yes she was.

So was Mohamed Atta.

[LanternWaste]

17. What relevant facts do you believe have been denied to the public?

Is anyone arguing she's not human?

Seems you're simply arguing against points absolutely no one is making. Again.

[Kingofalldems]

20. Yeah here are the facts:

Link to tweet

[abqtommy]

14. +100 I'm with ya on this one.

[Sneederbunk]

3. This guy must not have a very good lawyer.

[bottomofthehill]

10. I posted this on another thread but

Too many people already know who he is
Even the Republican members who are saying, we want to release his name know who he is. They talk a big game but don’t actually have the balls to put his name out there. It’s easy to talk shit, but much harder to actually paint the target on his back. They don’t have the balls he had. Not even little tiny mouse balls.

He has been accused of ambushing Ashli Babbit, laying in wait for her, opening fire on her, executing her, what he did was protect the members of Congress as he took an oath to do.

He has been attacked by the former President, members of Congress, members of the press, members of the Babbitt family, right wing nuts, and now he is doing what he thinks is best for him. He is facing litigation, paying for lawyers and counseling for himself and family, he is in a terrible position. It is his decision to come forward. He has to be scared either way, but he is stepping up and out.

Sinclair had the Babbit family lawyer on on Sunday further attacking him. He made a very difficult decision to discharge his weapon in performance of his duty to protect Members of Congress, Congressional Staff and his fellow officers as was his duty. He made a decision that will impact the rest of his life.

I worry for his safety today and will continue to worry for his safety tomorrow after the interview.

[happy feet]

12. Me too

[MisterNiceKitty]

11. Interesting tip, thanks

[hookaleft]

18. The NBC release stated that the interview is currently set to air at 6:30 p.m. ET Thursday on NBC Ni

The NBC release stated that the interview is currently set to air at 6:30 p.m. ET Thursday on NBC Nightly News

snip*

A person with direct knowledge of the matter tells The Daily Beast that this officer is a lieutenant and a 28-year veteran of the department. He spent about the last two decades in his current position, and on Jan. 6, his charge was security for the entire House floor. This source added that this officer was not assigned to any specific member’s detail, contradicting what has been publicly asserted by Trump and others.

Following months of speculation from Trumpworld and GOP cliques, this is the first time that the police officer is publicly confirming his identity, as it relates to the shooting on that day. NBC says that “the officer will share his perspective on the events of that day, including the aftermath of the deadly insurrection and the threats he has received.”

The Holt interview was taped Wednesday morning, with other people present there to support the officer coming forward. One of the guests was Michael Fanone, a D.C. Metropolitan police officer who has been outspoken about his experiences at and after the anti-democratic riot in Washington, D.C.

“He’s a hero to me,” Fanone told The Daily Beast on Wednesday afternoon, declining to name the officer at this time. “I'm incredibly humbled to have been able to be there to support him this morning [during the taping of the interview]. I don't even have the words to describe how difficult this is for him and his family… He is essentially sacrificing himself at the altar of our democracy today in pursuit of the truth.”

snip*
https://www.thedailybeast.com/capitol-police-officer-who-shot-and-killed-jan-6-rioter-to-speak-publicly

[spanone]

19. What's the point of this?