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Ashli Babbitt funeral: Where is her body? Death at Capitol protests sparks ‘traitor’, ‘hero’ debate

A fatal bullet hit Babbitt's chest on January 6, 2020, when hundreds of Donald Trump supporters entered the Capitol building

One of the five fatal people who tragically died in the violent Capitol riots was Ashli Babbitt. Identified as a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, she was dubbed “a serious military woman and a strong Trump supporter” by family and friends. Born Ashli McEntee, she grew up in an apolitical home with four younger brothers.

A fatal bullet hit Ashli's chest on January 6, 2020, when hundreds of Donald Trump supporters entered the Capitol building to overturn his election defeat. Amid the heated commotion and chaos, video footage shows her yelling “Go! Go!” as two men hoist her to a smashed glass panel on the door while another man yells, “He’s got a gun!” A Capitol Police officer fired at Babbitt, who stumbled back with blood pouring out of her mouth, according to graphic visuals floating on the internet.

Four days after her death, people can't stop wondering where her body currently is. There seem to be no reports apart from the fact that her death is currently under investigation. The Justice Department is opening an investigation into the shooting. Michael Sherwin, the acting US Attorney for the District of Columbia, told CBS News his office has opened a formal, federal excessive force investigation. The probe will be handled by the office’s civil rights division.

According to New York Post, the same division is investigating the death of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick who was reportedly bludgeoned with a fire extinguisher in the melee. The 42-year-old was also a military veteran. 

Thousands of reactions have poured in after Babbitt's death, who was the first woman to be reported dead in the Capitol riots. Now, there seems to be much chatter about whether or not her body should be shipped and buried with full military honors. The debate around whether she was a ‘traitor’ or ‘hero’ continues. 

“She died committing a crime and violating the oath she took when she joined the airforce. Unless she had her body donated to Medical Science she died in vain,” one Twitter user posted and another said, “The Ashli Babbitt who betrayed her oath to uphold, protect and defend, and was shot and killed in the attempt to storm the Capitol Building? Gee, I don’t know what to send her family... Her body in a box NOT draped with an American flag?”

A third wondered, “Will they ship her body back in a coffin covered by a confederate flag? Guess she is considered 'carry on' now.” But a fourth said, “Where are the live interviews with Ashli Babbitt's family? Where is currently her body? When is the funeral? Patriots would like to pay our respects the same way other people in the left were mourned.”

A fifth wrote, “There's a serious disconnect when some people hail her as a hero while cursing BLM and others hail BLM as heroes while cursing Ashli Babbitt. It's the same disconnect as people who are pro-life screaming, 'My body, my choice,' over masks.”

One tweet said, “Will Ashli Babbit get a military funeral? Seeing how she died as the first one through the door of an insurrection,” and another read, “Ashli Babbit died a traitor to the US. Under no circumstances should she get military honors at her funeral. None.”

Although there is no information about where her body currently is, we will update this space with the latest reports and details of her funeral service.