Tuesday, July 27, 2021

My Questions About the Ashli Babbitt Incident

When and by whom was the furniture barricade constructed?

The furniture barricade behind the portal

What was the reason to expect an attempt to break through this portal?



Why was the SWAT team not stationed in front of the portal?


Since an attempt to break through that portal was expected, why was the SWAT team not stationed in front of the portal? Why was the SWAT team downstairs? Who decided where the SWAT team would be? What caused the SWAT team to come up the stairs to the portal?

How many such SWAT teams were in the Capitol?



Why did the four officials leave the portal?

Four officials were standing in front of the portal.

The Wooz News video calls the four officials Vetter, Cop 2, Fredo and S.A.M. They stood in front of the portal for a while, but them moved to the right wall. 

The four officials move from the portal to the right wall 

The four officials stand by the corner of the portal and right wall

The four officials move away from the wall corner

Then Vetter, Cop 2 and Fredo walked down the stairs.

Vetter, Cop 2 and Fredo walk downstairs

Who decided where the four officials would be and when and where they would move? What caused their movements away from the portal?



Why didn't the SWAT team stop the attack on the portal?

The SWAT guys stay on the stairs

The SWAT team came up the stairs, and the three officials went down the stairs. However, the SWAT team stayed on the stairs and did not advance to the portal, which was being attacked by unarmed civilians. Why didn't the SWAT team seize control of the situation and stop the attack?



Why didn't the gunman come out into the empty corridor ?

The gunman shoots across empty corridor at Babbitt

Why didn't the gunman walk out into the empty corridor and confront the unarmed civilians face-to-face? Why did the gunman feel compelled to remain hidden in the door and to shoot across the empty corridor at unarmed Babbitt?

What did the gunman expect Babbitt to do after she jumped from the window into the empty corridor? Did the gunman consider that Babbitt intended merely to clear away some of the furniture barricade and unlock the doors from the corridor side?



Why did so little blood come out of Babbitt's neck wound?

No blood visible on the wall where Babbitt had been shot

Was there any blood splatter on the wall next to the place where Babbitt was shot through her neck? If not, then what is the explanation? If there was blood splatter on the wall, then what does that indicate about the bullet's trajectory from the gun through Babbitt's body? What was the bullet's path through Babbitt's body? Was the bullet found, and if so, then where?

Why was there so little blood on the floor where she lay?



What is the legal status of Rufio and Yellow?

Yellow hands helmet to Rufio

Rufio uses helmet to break windows

The Wooz News video points out that one man ("Yellow") gave a helmet to another man ("Rufio"), who used the helmet to break through the windows. These two men are seen without masks.

Yellow

Rufio agitating the mob

Rufio using the helmet to break the windows

Rufio also helped Babbitt climb up into the window.

Who are "Yellow" and "Rufio"? What steps have been taken to prosecute them? If no such steps have been taken, then why not?



Why was Babbitt carried downstairs?

Babbitt being carried downstairs

Why was Babbitt carried downstairs with her wounded neck angled downwards? Why was she not moved downstairs on an elevator? If she was obviously dead, then why was her body not left on the lobby floor so that the crime scene could be studied properly?



Why was Babbitt wearing a back-brace?

Back-brace around Babbitt's abdomen

Stunt actor wearing a Blood-Squib Rig FX 

Babbitt was wearing a back-brace that looks just like the back-brace on on a Blood-Squib Rig FX, which is used to eject blood from actors in movie stunts? Why was Babbitt wearing a back-brace?

Why was her body not covered with a sheet when the above photograph was taken?



When was Babbitt obviously dead?



If Babbitt was obviously dead a few moments after the shooting, then why were resuscitation efforts displayed to the public more than an hour after the shooting? Exactly when was the determination made that she was obviously dead?

Sunday, July 25, 2021

I've changed my mind about the Ashli Babbitt incident

During the past two weeks, I have published many posts arguing that Ashli Babbitt was not shot and killed in the Capitol building on January 6. Today I  watched three videos -- this and this and this -- that changed my opinion. I had not watched them until today. I have deleted my previous posts on the subject.










I now understand that the people in the lobby were not a select group of actors. 

I understand much better that people near the portal were breaking through the central doors and windows violently when Babbitt climbed up into the right window. 

Now I think that Babbitt indeed was shot and indeed did die. 

Anyone who has been convinced by the Wooz News video but has not watched the above three videos should watch them. Some such people might change their minds, as I have done.



Some aspects of the incident continue to puzzle me -- for example:

* The absence of blood splatter on the right wall and the small amount of blood on Babbitt immediately after the shooting.

* The decision by the four officials to move from the front of the portal to the right wall and then down the stairs.

* The ineffective actions of the SWAT guys.

However, I expect that such puzzling aspects eventually will be explained satisfactorily.