Officer Who Fatally Shot Capitol Rioter Ashli Babbitt Will Reveal Himself on NBC Nightly News

Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images

It appears the world is about to learn the identity of the police officer responsible for the death of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt.

NBC News has announced that Lester Holt will conduct an interview with the police officer, which will air Thursday on NBC Nightly News, according to a press release sent to Mediaite.

This will be the first unveiling of the officer’s identity to the public, and NBC says the interview will allow the officer to “share his perspective on the events of that day, including the aftermath of the deadly insurrection and the threats he has received. He will also discuss the recent news that Capitol Police will not discipline him following an internal review, exonerating him for use of force.”

The interview comes days after NBC News broke the news that the Capitol Police investigated Babbitt’s death, which occurred on while she and other Donald Trump supporters — fueled by his election lies — violently attempted to break into the House chamber where lawmakers were sheltering in place on January 6th. The memo from the Capitol Police’s Office of Personal Responsibility said the officer “has been formally exonerated after an internal investigation,” and “no further action will be taken in this matter.”

Even though Babbitt’s shooting has been found justified, Trump and his allies have tried to depict her as a political martyr instead of an insurrectionist who died trying to overthrow the 2020 election. The MAGAverse has been demanding the identity of Babbitt’s shooter for months, and her death has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories.