Exclusive: Officer who killed Ashli Babbitt [once] abandoned US Capitol post for card game, lied to investigators about it, source says

Blaze Media ^ | 12/12/24 | Steve Baker & Joseph M. Hanneman

[CFW]

The U.S. Capitol Police lieutenant who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt at the Capitol on Jan. 6 was recommended for termination in 2001 for abandoning his post in the Speaker’s Office for a card game in a nearby cloakroom, then lying about it to Internal Affairs Division investigators, Blaze News has learned.

The 2001 investigation of Michael L. Byrd, 56, was the first known disciplinary case brought against the lieutenant who crept from his blind near the doors to the Speaker’s Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021, and shot Babbitt to death. The 2001 incident is the fourth such disciplinary case disclosed since Nov. 20.

A source with detailed knowledge of the Internal Affairs Division case told Blaze News that Byrd was charged with abandoning his post, eating and drinking at his post, and lying to investigators — a terminable offense. It is one of three Byrd disciplinary cases for which records could not be found when a House oversight subcommittee requested them in early 2024, the source said.

[snip]

According to Loudermilk’s Nov. 20 letter, the Capitol Police had planned to loan a shotgun to Byrd, but he failed the federal background check and did not qualify after shotgun training.

[snip]

Byrd shot back 20 minutes later, “We play the game as you request and then once we’re in compliance you guys change the rules on us. If we were aware that our situation would be looped in with everyone on the department then we would have been better prepared.

[griswold3]

“He got a PROMOTION for KILLING HER!“
Thanks to Tim Ryan. The golden boy has no future in Ohio with this revelation!

[SMARTY]

The murderer

[T.B. Yoits]

That the Capitol Police brass buried the violations of Byrd tells you that he was one of the better of the bunch.

The Capitol Police have a well-earned reputation of ignorance and incompetence.

[Albion Wilde]

[Salamander]

I.
Thought so.

[oil_dude]

I seem to remember a story about him leaving his weapon in a lavatory on Capitol Hill?

[CFW]

I seem to remember a story about him leaving his weapon in a lavatory on Capitol Hill?

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Correct. It wasn’t discovered until approx 50 minutes later when found by another officer. That’s mentioned, along with several other infractions, in the article.

[linMcHlp]

bttt