'Very Fanatical About It': Family Says San Diego Woman Killed By Police During U.S. Capitol Riots Loved President Trump
IRVINE (CBSLA) — Family members say Ashli Babbitt, the 35-year-old San Diego woman shot and killed by Capitol Police while storming the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, loved her country and President Donald Trump.
"Very fanatical about it," Anthony Mazziott Jr., the woman's uncle, said. "She supported our president, and I just don't understand what happened."
Mazziott said Thursday that he couldn't believe his niece survived four tours of duty with the United States Air Force as a military police officer only to die in the nation's capital.
A rioter from New Jersey said in an interview following the shooting that he watched the situation unfold.
"We had stormed into the chambers inside, and there was a young lady who rushed through the windows," he said. "A number of police and Secret Service were saying, 'Get back, get down, get out of the way.' She didn't heed the call."
The night before her death, Babbitt tweeted, "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!"
Her social media posts tell a story of a frustrated pool supply owner, in debt and struggling to keep her family business afloat.
Her family said she was angry about homelessness, recently retweeting a post of a homeless encampment in West Los Angeles. She called out state lawmakers by name, including Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
Waters, who represents much of South Los Angeles issued a statement that said, in part:
"I am accustomed to these types of attacks. For the last four years, I have sounded the alarm and spoken about how dangerous the President's rhetoric is. I am deeply saddened…the President's incitement and lies have resulted in people losing their lives."
Babbitt's husband and her family have responded to her death with shock. They said they knew she was going to the rally, but that they had no idea she would be part of the protest.
The shooting is being investigated by Metropolitan Police Department's internal affairs unit, which is responsible for investigating all officer-involved deaths in Washington, D.C., even those involving other agencies.
