National Post (National Edition)
RADICALIZED BY QANON
How a vet came to storm the Capitol — and was shot dead by police
WASHINGTON • When a group of pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol and smashed windows on Wednesday, a woman jumped on to a pane and started through.
Seconds later, a gunshot rang out and the woman, who had a Trump flag tied around her waist, tipped back and fell on to the marble floor as blood spilled from her shoulder.
“They shot a girl!” someone yelled as the crowd ran out of the southeast entrance.
She died later that day, police said. She was one of four fatalities from the violent rioting that wreaked havoc through the halls of Congress on Wednesday, temporarily halting the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral victory. Three others died of unspecified medical emergencies during the chaos.
The woman was 35-year-old Ashli Babbitt, a California native and Air Force veteran, her former husband told The Washington Post. Before her death in the Capitol, she had used her social media account @CommonAshSense to express fervent support for President Donald Trump and echo many of the president’s conspiracy theories and false claims of mass voter fraud.
Police have not yet confirmed Babbitt’s identity or confirmed details about how she was shot. The woman was shot by U.S. Capitol Police, Washington D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III told reporters on Wednesday.
Babbitt, a native of San Diego, served in Afghanistan and Iraq in the Air Force before other deployments with the National Guard to Kuwait and Qatar, ex-husband Timothy McEntee told The Post. McEntee and Babbitt met in the Air Force and were married for 14 years, before splitting in May 2019.
McEntee, who did not know Babbitt had travelled to D.C. for the protests, was shocked by the news of her death and described her as smart and strong-willed.
“I feel absolutely terrible and sick to my stomach about it,” he wrote in a text message. “She was never afraid to speak her mind and in a way this was her way of speaking her mind.”
McEntee said Babbitt had remarried and owned a pool supply company with her husband, Aaron Babbitt.
Babbitt's mother-in-law told WTTG, who did not
I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHY SHE DECIDED TO DO THIS.
identify her by name, that her son did not accompany Babbitt to Washington.
“I really don't know why she decided to do this,” she said.
In an interview with San Diego station KUSI, Babbitt's husband said she was a passionate Trump supporter. McEntee echoed those sentiments, adding that she was “very loud and opinionated, but caring, sweet, thoughtful, loving.”
“You would never forget meeting her,” he wrote.
On social media, Babbitt recorded combative videos about immigration policy, while expressing her support for a border wall.
In early September, she tweeted a picture from a Trump boat parade in San Diego wearing a shirt that said, “We are Q,” referring to QAnon, the far-right conspiracy theory.
The tweet also included the hashtag “#WWG1WGA,” an acronym used by supporters who believe in the claims that Trump was battling a group of “deep state” child abusers.
Babbitt also retweeted messages calling for Vice President Pence to resign and be charged with treason and photos of the president's supporters flying to D.C. for the protests.
In one of her final posts, she responded to a tweet saying that many flights to D.C. were cancelled because of weather. “The entire world is corrupt,” the person said.
Babbitt replied: “Nothing will stop us … they can try and try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours … dark to light!”
The New York Mets acquired four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor in a blockbuster six-player trade with the Cleveland Indians on Thursday. Right-hander Carlos Carrasco also is headed to New York in exchange for shortstops Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, right-handed pitching prospect Josh Wolf and minor league outfielder Isaiah Greene. Landing Lindor, shown, represents the second off-season splash for new Mets owner Steve Cohen. New York signed catcher James McCann to a four-year, US$40-million deal last month. Lindor, who is set to become a free agent after the 2021 season, batted .258 with eight homers and 27 RBIs in 60 games last season. He is a career .285 hitter with 138 homers, 411 RBIs and 508 runs scored in 777 games since making his debut with the Indians in 2015. The 27-year-old Lindor was tabbed as an all-star in 2016-19 and has two Gold Gloves (2016, 2019) to his credit. Carrasco, 33, was named to 2020 American League Comeback Player of the Year after returning from chronic myeloid leukemia.