U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd stepped forward for the first time Thursday night to publicly identify himself as the officer who fatally shot Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt as she attempted to crawl through a broken window into the House chamber. "I know that day I saved countless lives," Byrd told NBC News anchor Lester Holt, in his first public interview since the Capitol siege. "I know members of Congress, as well as my fellow officers and staff, were in jeopardy and in serious danger. And that's my job."
Byrd said he has received death threats, some of them racist in nature, after his name bounced around online. "It's disheartening" to hear former President Donald Trump say he believes Babbitt was "murdered," he said, but if Trump "was in the room, or anywhere else and I'm responsible for him, I was prepared to do the same thing for him and his family." "Would you have his back today if you were so assigned?" Holt asked. "I sure would, because it's my job," Byrd said.
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The Capitol Police said earlier this week that Byrd, unnamed in the announcement, would face no discipline and his actions had been lawful and likely saved lives. Federal prosecutors said in April that they would not charge him for Babbitt's death.
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