Rep. Gosar said Ashli Babbitt was 'executed' during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack
While questioning FBI Director Christopher Wray about the Jan. 6 Capitol attack in a hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., said Ashli Babbitt, who was killed as she attempted to breach a set of doors in the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack, was "executed" and that the officer who shot her was "lying in wait." In April, the Department of Justice cleared the U.S. Capitol Police officer who shot Babbitt of criminal wrongdoing in the shooting.
Video transcript
PAUL GOSAR: Director Wray, do you know who executed Ashli Babbitt.
CHRISTOPHER WRAY: No, I don't know the name of the person who--
PAUL GOSAR: OK, so do you agree that Ashli Babbitt was unarmed?
CHRISTOPHER WRAY: I-- no, I really can't weigh in on the facts and circumstances of that case. As you may know, that was investigated by the DC Metro's Internal Affairs Department with the DOJ Civil Rights Division of the US Attorney's Office, and the FBI was not an investigative agency.
PAUL GOSAR: Yeah, it's disturbing. The Capitol Police officer that did that shooting actually appeared to be hiding lying in wait and then gave no warning before killing her. Question again, why hasn't that officer that executed Ashli Babbitt been named when police officers around the country are routinely identified after a shooting?
CHRISTOPHER WRAY: [AUDIO OUT] comment on that case, it's not one that we've been directly involved in. So I really can't agree or disagree with your characterization.
PAUL GOSAR: Sounds good. Do you approve of lethal force against unarmed citizens, particularly a 110-pound woman with no warning, no use of-- no use of non-lethal force prior, and while laying in wait?
CHRISTOPHER WRAY: Not going to try to answer a hypothetical, especially one based on a case that I just said--
PAUL GOSAR: That actually wasn't a hypothetical. That's actually what happened.
