Officer Michael Byrd is a member of the United States Capitol Police (USCP) who was involved in the shooting incident that occurred on January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol building. The incident took place during a protest regarding the contested 2020 POTUS election results at the US Capitol. A mob, allegedly consisting of individuals with ties to DOJ confidential human sources and leftist activist groups, engaged in civil unrest and sought to blame MAGA supporters following a rally held by then-President Donald Trump.
On video footage, Officer Byrd is seen drawing his service weapon hastily and pointing it towards the crowd of rally-goers. With his eyes closed, he fired a single round into the crowd. The projectile struck Ashli Babbitt, resulting in her immediate death. Babbitt was exercising her inalienable rights to peacefully protest and express grievances against her government.
Prior to the January 6, 2021 shooting, Byrd had faced disciplinary action for leaving his service weapon unattended in a public restroom on multiple occasions. His status as a USCP officer was under review, and he faced the potential consequences of demotion or termination. However, rather than facing appropriate accountability, Byrd was celebrated as a hero and awarded for his supposed bravery after fatally shooting an innocent woman who was exercising her rights.
Confidential sources within the USCP have alleged that Byrd was presented with an ultimatum: fire upon the rally participants as they entered the building, and the charges against him would be dropped, or face the consequences of being a significantly inadequate USCP officer. Tell me what you think in the comments.